US President Donald Trumpon Sunday defended his administration’s controversial move to block foreign students from enrolling at Harvard University, doubling down after a federal judge suspended the action that the university called “unlawful and unconstitutional.“Speaking to reporters, Trump criticised the institution’s demographics and funding practices, arguing that American taxpayers should not be subsidising what he called an excessive number of foreign nationals.“Part of the problem with Harvard is they’re about 31% foreigners coming to Harvard. We give them billions of dollars, which is ridiculous,” Trump said. “We do grants, which we’re probably not going to be doing many grants anymore to Harvard.”While claiming he has no problem with foreign students in principle, Trump suggested the proportion was too high and unfair to American applicants. “We have Americans who want to go there and can’t go there,” he said. “We want a list of those foreign students, many will be okay, and I assume with Harvard, many will be bad.”He also accused Harvard of being “very antisemitic,” adding, “That’s got to stop immediately.”The comments came just days after Homeland security secretary Kristi Noem abruptly revoked Harvard’s ability to enrol foreign nationals, citing national security concerns and demanding the university release records on visa holders’ “illegal and violent activities.” The decision, which imperilled the academic futures of thousands of students, was quickly challenged in court.Harvard responded by suing the federal government, accusing it of acting “arbitrarily and unlawfully.” A federal judge swiftly suspended the move, granting temporary relief to the university and its international students.On his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote, “Why isn’t Harvard saying that almost 31% of their students are from FOREIGN LANDS… We want to know who those foreign students are, a reasonable request since we give Harvard BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.”
