Guwahati– President Donald Trump has reignited a contentious debate surrounding international student enrolment at Harvard University, hinting at a potential review of federal grants to the esteemed institution. Trump’s remarks, made during a recent media interaction, underscore a growing friction between his administration’s past policies and the university’s global academic footprint.
The former commander-in-chief expressed significant concern over what he claims is a disproportionately high number of foreign nationals at Harvard, asserting that approximately 31% of its student body comprises international students. “We want to know who the people are. They refuse to tell us who the people are,” Trump stated, criticising the university for an alleged lack of transparency in its admissions data.
Trump further contended that this substantial presence of foreign students could be impinging upon the educational opportunities available to American aspirants. “Now, a lot of the foreign students we wouldn’t have a problem with, but it shouldn’t be 31%. It’s too much,” he remarked. “We have Americans that want to go there, and they can’t because you have 31% foreign.”
The former president also drew a stark contrast between the significant federal funding Harvard receives and its international admissions figures. “No foreign government contributes money to Harvard, we do. So why are they doing so many?” Trump questioned, highlighting that the U.S. government provides the university with “billions of dollars.” He strongly suggested that this financial support might be re-evaluated, potentially signalling a shift in federal policy towards institutions with a high international student intake.
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