As President Donald Trump announces war against Harvard University, an X post with the list of prominent MAGA leaders who studied at Harvard is going viral. It has Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, Dan Crenshaw, Tom Cotton, Mike Braun, Ben Sasse, Elise Stefanik, Vivek Ramaswamy, RFK Jr, Pete Hegseth. The list is not exhaustive and only a trailer of all the MAGA-Harvard connection. Trump’s adviser Peter Navarro, one of the masterminds of Trump tariffs, is also from Harvard.
Harvard refused to give in to Donald Trump’s demands which would have curbed their independence, but now they will not get federal funds. The Department of Homeland Security has now sought the detailed records of Harvard’s foreign student visa holders’ illegal and violent activities from the university — in a scathing letter. If the university does not comply by April 30, 2025, it will not be allowed to take international students as the department would stop the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), it said. The SEVP certification allows universities to issue the forms students need to apply for visas to enter the US international students made up more than 27 per cent of Harvard’s enrolled students for the 2024-25 year, according to the university’s data.
A Harvard spokesperson told The Harvard Crimson that despite the letter, the university stands by its previous statement that the university “will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights.”
“We will continue to comply with the law and expect the Administration to do the same,” spokesperson Sarah E Kennedy O’Reilly said.
Trump vs Harvard: Here’s what happened so far
On March 31, 2025, the Trump administration announced a review of approximately $9 billion in federal grants and contracts to Harvard, including $8.7 billion in multi-year grant commitments and $255.6 million in contracts. The administration cited Harvard’s alleged failure to protect Jewish students from antisemitic discrimination and its promotion of “divisive ideologies” over free inquiry.
This was not a Harvard-only measure, as many other Ivy League schools acquiesced in the administration’s decision.
But Harvard president Alan Garber rejected the demands and said those violated Harvard’s First Amendment rights.
Trump administration froze $2.2–$2.3 billion in federal research grants to Harvard. It has also moved to revoke Harvard’s tax-exempt status.
“Harvard can no longer be considered even a decent place of learning, and should not be considered on any list of the World’s Great Universities or Colleges,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform.
“Harvard is a JOKE, teaches Hate and Stupidity, and should no longer receive Federal Funds.”
