'Shouldn't Be 31%, Very Anti-Semitic': US President Trump Slams Harvard Over Foreign Students, Transparency

US President Donald Trump at Oval Office (Photo/ANI)

Donald Trump vs Harvard University: The Trump government's ongoing feud with Harvard University has taken a new turn after US President Donald Trump Sunday, criticised the institution's significant international student population, which he claims comprises around 31% of the student body. 

Donald Trump has threatened to halt federal grants to Harvard, citing concerns over the university's alleged tolerance of antisemitism and its foreign ties.

Training his gun on the university, the US President underscored, "Part of the problem with Harvard is they're about 31% foreigners coming to Harvard. We give them billions of dollars, which is ridiculous. We do grants, which we're probably not going to be doing many grants anymore to Harvard...They're at 31% but refuse to tell us who the people are. We want to know.... A lot of the foreign students we wouldn't have a problem with..."

#WATCH | New Jersey, US: On Harvard University, US President Donald Trump says, "Part of the problem with Harvard is they're about 31% foreigners coming to Harvard. We give them billions of dollars, which is ridiculous. We do grants, which we're probably not going to be doing… pic.twitter.com/CQn0kEjttl

— ANI (@ANI) May 26, 2025

Continuing ahead, he marked that he has no problem with the foreign students, but it is too much. "I will not have a problem with foreign students, but it shouldn't be 31%, it's too much. Because we have Americans who want to go there and other places and can't go there... No foreign government contributes money to Harvard. We do. So why are they doing so many? Number two, we want a list of those foreign students, and we'll find out whether or not they are okay. Many will be okay...and I assume with Harvard, many will be bad. And then the other thing is they're very antisemitic, everybody knows they're antisemitic, and that's got to stop immediately, " he said. 

The controversy sparked on Friday after the Trump administration revoked Harvard's right to enroll foreign students, citing the university's refusal to comply with government demands. Harvard has called the move "unlawful" and is working to provide guidance and support to its international students and scholars.

However, the same day, a judge suspended the Trump government's action, sparking a heated debate about academic freedom and immigration policies.