Trump wants Harvard to reduce international students from 27% to 15%

US President Donald Trump has once again targeted Harvard University, saying that too many international students are being allowed in. He said that the number of foreign students at Harvard should be reduced to about 15%, so that more American students can get a chance to study there.

Harvard has around 27% foreign students. According to Trump, reducing this figure would increase opportunities for American students who wish to attend prestigious universities like Harvard.

"I think they should have a cap of maybe around 15 per cent, not 31 per cent. We have people who want to go to Harvard and other schools, (but) they can’t get in because we have foreign students there," Trump said while speaking to reporters in the White House Oval Office.

Trump administration froze $2.2 billion in federal funding to the university. Then it paused Harvard’s ability to enrol international students. These moves followed Harvard’s refusal to share information about foreign students and address antisemitic incidents on campus.

"Harvard is treating our country with great disrespect," Trump said. "I want Harvard to be great again." He even stated that money given to Harvard should be redirected to trade schools that train people in skills like plumbing and electrical work.

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Trump criticized the university, saying, "They’re taking $5 billion and I’d rather see that money go to trade schools. And by the way, they’re totally antisemitic at Harvard, as you know, and some other colleges too, in all fairness to them, and it’s been exposed, very exposed."

Trump also pointed fingers at Harvard’s large financial resources. "Every time they fight, they lose another $250 million. Yesterday, we found another $100 million. And they have, you know, they have a fund, an endowment, $52 billion, all right? They got a lot of that from the United States. And I think it’s ridiculous."

He added, "Everyone’s coming up to me saying, ‘We love the idea of trade schools, with that kind of money you can have the best trade schools anywhere in the world."

The conflict between Harvard and the Trump administration escalated after Harvard filed a lawsuit on April 21, against the government’s demands to change the university’s leadership, rules, and admissions policies.

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Following the action, the administration has threatened to revoke Harvard's tax-exempt status, reduced federal funding for the university, and attempted to ban it from enroling international students. All federal agencies were recently instructed to examine their agreements with Harvard and think about terminating or relocating them. However, a federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s ban preventing Harvard University from enrolling international students.

The White House made the firm decision that, instead of attending an Ivy League university, taxpayer funds should be used to support vocational schools that teach trades like plumbing and electrical work.