President Donald Trump has signed a bold new proclamation suspending foreign student enrollment at Harvard University, citing unacceptable national security risks and deep concerns over the Ivy League school’s ties to foreign governments—particularly China. The move marks one of the most aggressive actions yet in Trump’s broader campaign to root out foreign influence from U.S. institutions.
Under the six-month suspension, foreign nationals seeking F, M, or J visas for Harvard will be denied entry to the United States. The State Department has also been directed to review and possibly revoke visas of current international students already affiliated with the university.
Trump justified the decision by pointing to what he called a “disturbing pattern” of behavior by Harvard, including tens of millions in foreign donations, a lack of cooperation with federal security audits, and tolerance of what the administration described as “anti-American ideology” on campus. He also cited recent failures by the university to comply with Department of Homeland Security records requests and allegations of growing antisemitism on campus.
This is not the first clash between the Trump administration and Harvard. In recent weeks, the Department of Homeland Security moved to revoke the university’s authorization to host foreign students under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program—a move temporarily blocked by a federal judge after Harvard filed suit. The new proclamation attempts to bypass that ruling by invoking the president’s immigration authority.
Harvard officials immediately denounced the order as unconstitutional retaliation and promised to fight it in court. A university spokesperson called the ban “an illegal assault on academic freedom and First Amendment rights,” adding that the school would continue to stand by its international students and scholars.
The administration has made clear this is part of a broader effort. Alongside the Harvard crackdown, President Trump also announced a travel ban on 12 nations with known security issues and plans to roll out “Project Homecoming,” a deportation initiative backed by reallocated refugee funds.
The White House argues that elite academic institutions have become vulnerable soft targets for foreign infiltration—particularly from adversarial regimes like China. Officials cited over $150 million in foreign contributions to Harvard since 2020 as evidence of potential compromise.
While critics are already lining up to challenge the decision in court, supporters say the move is long overdue. “American universities should not be safe havens for espionage, propaganda, or extremist ideology,” one administration source said. “Harvard isn’t above the law—and it certainly isn’t above national security.”
The suspension could be extended beyond six months if concerns remain unaddressed. As the legal battle escalates, Trump’s message is unmistakable: prestige does not place any institution beyond accountability when American safety is at stake.