Trump Administration Slapped Visa Ban on Harvard Foreign Students?
In an extraordinary and unprecedented move that is shaking up U.S. academia and global diplomatic circles alike, President Donald J. Trump has just signed a Proclamation that bans new foreign students from entering the United States if they’re planning to study at Harvard University. Yes, you read that right—Harvard, the Ivy League icon, is now in the government’s crosshairs.
What Just Happened?
According to the official White House fact sheet released today, the Trump administration has moved to suspend all F, M, and J student and exchange visas for new entrants at Harvard University, citing “national security concerns.”
But that’s not all. The order also empowers the Secretary of State to revoke existing visas for current foreign students at Harvard if they meet certain undisclosed criteria.
“We want great students here. We just don’t want students that are causing trouble,” President Trump said. “I want to have foreign students. But they should be people that can love our country.”
Advertisement
Why Target Harvard?
The Proclamation paints a grim portrait of Harvard, calling out the university for:
- Receiving over $150 million from China, raising alarms about undue foreign influence.
- Hosting Chinese Communist Party (CCP) paramilitary members and facilitating research that allegedly aids China’s military goals.
- Failing to report concerning behavior or illegal activities by some foreign students.
- Being a “top party school” for CCP bureaucrats, even noting that Xi Jinping’s daughter attended Harvard in the past.
- A rising campus crime rate and a so-called failure to clamp down on anti-Semitic incidents involving foreign students.
- Continued reliance on race-based admission policies despite a 2023 Supreme Court ruling.
In perhaps the most stinging line, the statement declares that Harvard is no longer a trustworthy steward of international exchange and student programs.
Fallout Expected Worldwide!
This move could have massive international consequences, as Harvard hosts thousands of students from around the globe each year, many of them in cutting-edge research fields. Questions are already swirling:
- Will this lead to retaliatory visa bans from other countries?
- Are other U.S. universities next?
- What happens to current Harvard international students mid-degree?
Trump Doubles Down
In a series of bold statements today, President Trump did not hold back:
“We are still waiting for the Foreign Student Lists from Harvard… how many radicalized lunatics… should not be let back into our Country?”
“Harvard is very slow in the presentation of these documents, and probably for good reason!”
Advertisement
These fiery remarks signal a zero-tolerance policy for perceived radicalism or foreign interference in U.S. academic institutions. The message is clear: no university, not even the mighty Harvard, is above national security scrutiny.
Fact or Political Drama?
Critics are calling the move politically motivated, pointing to Trump’s long-standing battles with elite academic institutions. Supporters argue this is a necessary measure to protect intellectual property, national security, and public safety in a world where universities are often soft targets for espionage and ideological extremism.
What’s Next?
The Department of Homeland Security and the State Department are now expected to:
- Begin identifying current Harvard students whose visas could be revoked.
- Monitor foreign university partnerships across the U.S.
- Possibly expand scrutiny to other elite schools with international ties.
Meanwhile, Harvard has yet to officially respond. But one thing is clear—this is a seismic moment in U.S. education policy.
Visit daadscholarship.com for More Fully-funded Scholarships 2026 News.
