On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump called for a limit on the number of foreign students admitted to Harvard University, proposing a cap of 15 percent on international enrollment at the prestigious Ivy League institution.
Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump accused Harvard of showing "great disrespect" to the United States and warned the university is deepening its disregard. He further demanded that Harvard provide the administration with its current list of international students, though he did not clarify any subsequent actions the government might take.
This latest critique escalates a broader confrontation between Trump and elite American universities, which began amid last year's pro-Palestinian protests on campuses. The president has repeatedly branded prominent universities as incubators for what he calls "Marxist maniacs and lunatics," and recently suggested reallocating federal funding from such institutions to vocational trade schools.
Supported by Congressional Republicans, Trump's rhetoric has resulted in proposed legislative measures targeting university finances. New taxes on substantial academic endowments, awaiting Senate approval, could impose costs estimated at $850 million annually on Harvard alone.
The potential impact is significant given that international students currently represent over 25 percent of Harvard's approximately 6,800 students, a figure considerably higher than the 15 percent cap Trump demands.
