Trump says Harvard should have maybe a 15% cap on foreign students

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Harvard University should have a 15% cap on the number of foreign students it admits and that the Ivy League school needs to show the administration their current list of students from other countries.

"Harvard has got to behave themselves. Harvard is treating our country with great disrespect and all they're doing is getting in deeper and deeper" Trump told reporters gathered in the Oval Office.

On May 28, 2025, President Donald Trump proposed that Harvard University cap its international student enrollment at 15%, a significant reduction from the current 27.2%. 

He argued that this measure would prioritize American students who, according to him, are being displaced by foreign applicants. 

Trump stated, "We have people who want to go to Harvard and other schools, they can’t get in because we have foreign students there." 

This proposal is part of a broader campaign by the Trump administration to exert pressure on Harvard. 

The administration has already frozen $2.2 billion in federal funding to the university and paused its ability to enroll foreign students. 

These actions follow Harvard's resistance to government demands to address antisemitic incidents and to submit lists of foreign students for federal review. 

Trump has criticized Harvard for showing "disrespect" to the U.S., labeling it antisemitic, and has advocated redirecting funds toward trade schools. 

He referenced Harvard's $52 billion endowment and announced incremental funding cuts linked to continued non-compliance, stating that public support for enhancing trade schools is growing. 

In response, Harvard has filed a lawsuit to restore funding and protect its rights under the Administrative Procedure Act, Civil Rights Act, and First Amendment. 

Legal experts believe that although Harvard may win in court, Trump is gaining political traction by appealing to populist sentiments.

Source: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/nri/study/trump-says-harvard-should-have-maybe-a-15-cap-on-foreign-students/articleshow/121473042.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst