New Trump Attack on Harvard and Foreign Students Denounced as 'Authoritarian Overreach'

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday released a directive invoking national security powers to impose a six-month ban on international students from entering the United States to study at Harvard University—a move that was quickly panned by observers and the university itself.

The ban could be extended. The order also directs Secretary of State Marco Rubio to consider, at his discretion, whether non-Americans currently attending Harvard on F, M, or J visas should have their visas revoked.

"This is for crucial national security reasons," according to the statement.

The order from Trump is yet another escalation in the feud between the Trump administration and the Ivy League school that began this spring, and also comes not longer after a federal judge handed down a temporary restraining order halting the Trump administration's termination of the school's ability to enroll international students.

"This is yet another illegal retaliatory step taken by the administration in violation of Harvard's First Amendment rights," said a spokesperson for Harvard in a statement that was sent to multiple outlets. "Harvard will continue to protect its international students."

"This is ridiculous and has nothing to do with national security," wrote Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) on X on Wednesday. "It's a thinly veiled revenge ploy in Trump's personal feud with Harvard, and continued authoritarian overreach against free speech."

Larry Sabato, the founder and director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, wrote late Wednesday: "Absolute insanity. The damage Trump is doing to our country is incalculable."

Separately, Trump on Wednesday announced a travel ban on 12 countries, including several in Africa, and restrictions on seven other countries.

Trump's statement comes mere weeks after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) sought to strip Harvard of it's Student Exchange and Visitor Program certification, effectively preventing the school from hosting any international students.

The administration rationalized the move by alleging that the school's leaders have permitted "anti-American, pro-terrorist agitators to harass and physically assault individuals, including many Jewish students. Many of these agitators are foreign students."

Harvard challenged the move in court the following day and a federal judge temporarily blocked DHS from taking that action. The judge then extended the block and indicated a preliminary injunction would be forthcoming.

Trump's order calls out Harvard for its financial ties to foreign countries, including China. "Our adversaries, including the People's Republic of China, try to take advantage of American higher education by exploiting the student visa program for improper purposes and by using visiting students to collect information at elite universities in the United States," the order states.

A spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry pushed back on Trump's latest move. "Education cooperation between China and the U.S. is mutually beneficial. The Chinese side has always opposed politicizing the cooperation," the spokesperson said.

Harvard has over 10,000 international students and scholars. International students made up 27% of the student population during 2024-25 school year, making tuition from international students a sizable share of Harvard's revenue.