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On April 17, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her delegation in the Cabinet Room at the White House.
The ongoing conflict between the Trump administration and Harvard University has escalated as the administration threatens to revoke the university’s ability to enroll international students. This move is rooted in accusations of antisemitism and discrimination on campus.
In a letter dated Wednesday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem emphasized that Harvard’s authorization to accept foreign students hinges on its adherence to federal immigration regulations outlined in Title 8. Noem stated, “It is a privilege to have foreign students attend Harvard University, not a guarantee,” suggesting that the school has failed to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for Jewish students, allegedly resulting in a “hostile learning environment.”
To host international students, all U.S. educational institutions must be certified under the federal Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). In a press release on Wednesday, the Department of Homeland Security further revealed that Noem had canceled two grants amounting to $2.7 million to Harvard, labeling the institution as “unfit to be entrusted with taxpayer dollars.”
This letter represents a continuation of President Trump’s broader strategy to impose demands on top-tier educational institutions while threatening their financial stability. Noem pointed out that Harvard heavily depends on income from international students to sustain its considerable endowment.
Statistics indicate that international students made up more than 27% of Harvard’s overall enrollment during the fall 2023 term, as reported by university data.
Noem has set a deadline of April 30 for Harvard to provide information regarding its student visa holders, warning that failure to comply will result in an automatic withdrawal of its SEVP certification.
In contrast to Harvard, institutions like Columbia University chose to engage with the Trump administration, agreeing to a series of stipulations aimed at negotiating the cancellation of $400 million in federal support.
However, Harvard has opted against conforming to the administration’s requests, which included eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and revising its hiring and disciplinary practices.
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Harvard President Alan Garber criticized the administration’s demands as attempts at “direct governmental regulation of the ‘intellectual conditions’ at Harvard” in a formal rejection of the proposal.
As a response, the Trump administration has frozen approximately $2.2 billion in grant funding along with $60 million in contracts with the university.
A representative for Harvard acknowledged the receipt of Noem’s letter, reiterating the university’s commitment to maintaining its independence and upholding its constitutional rights. “We continue to stand by that statement. We will continue to comply with the law and expect the Administration to do the same,” the spokesperson asserted.
The Trump administration has used recent protests at various universities, particularly in response to Israel’s actions following the October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks by Hamas, to justify its unprecedented scrutiny of higher education. Noem emphasized in her press release that “Harvard bending the knee to antisemitism—driven by its spineless leadership—fuels a cesspool of extremist riots and threatens our national security.” She further claimed that the university’s current ideological environment undermines its reputation as a leading academic institution, stating, “America demands more from universities entrusted with taxpayer dollars.”
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