In a dramatic escalation of tensions between the U.S. government and Harvard University, President Donald Trump on Wednesday issued a proclamation suspending, for at least six months, the entry of foreign nationals seeking to study or participate in exchange programs at the Ivy League institution. The move, citing national security concerns, has sparked immediate backlash and legal scrutiny.
Harvard swiftly condemned the order, calling it “yet another illegal retaliatory step” by the administration. The university asserted that the proclamation violates its First Amendment rights and reaffirmed its commitment to defending its international student community, which comprises roughly a quarter of its student body.
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The proclamation follows a series of clashes between the Trump administration and Harvard, including threats to revoke the university’s tax-exempt status and freeze federal funding. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem previously attempted to strip Harvard’s certification to host foreign students, prompting legal intervention by a federal judge.
Wednesday’s directive also instructed the State Department to consider revoking visas of current Harvard students and ordered consular missions to ramp up visa vetting for Harvard-bound applicants. Citing FBI concerns, the document accused the university of “foreign entanglements” and alleged security lapses on campus.
