WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥 President Donald Trump is moving to block nearly all foreign students from entering the country to attend Harvard University, his latest attempt to choke the Ivy League school from an international pipeline that accounts for a quarter of the student body.
In an executive order signed Wednesday, Trump declared that it would jeopardize national security to allow Harvard to continue hosting foreign students on its campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
鈥淚 have determined that the entry of the class of foreign nationals described above is detrimental to the interests of the United States because, in my judgment, Harvard鈥檚 conduct has rendered it an unsuitable destination for foreign students and researchers,鈥 Trump wrote in the order.
It鈥檚 a further escalation in the White House鈥檚 fight with the nation鈥檚 oldest and wealthiest university. A federal court in Boston the Department of Homeland Security from barring international students at Harvard last week. Trump鈥檚 order invokes a different legal authority.
Trump invoked a broad federal law that gives the president authority to block foreigners whose entry would be 鈥渄etrimental to the interests of the United States.鈥 On Wednesday, he cited the same authority when announcing that citizens of 12 countries would be and those from seven others would face restrictions. Trump鈥檚 Harvard order cites several other laws, too, including one barring foreigners associated with terrorist organizations.
In a statement Wednesday night, Harvard said it will 鈥渃ontinue to protect its international students.鈥
鈥淭his is yet another illegal retaliatory step taken by the Administration in violation of Harvard鈥檚 First Amendment rights,鈥 university officials said.
It stems from Harvard鈥檚 refusal to submit to a series of demands made by the federal government. It has escalated recently after the Department of Homeland Security said Harvard refused to provide records related to misconduct by foreign students.
Harvard says it has complied with the request, but the government said the school's response was insufficient.
The dispute has been building for months after the Trump administration demanded a series of policy and governance changes at Harvard, calling it a hotbed of liberalism and accusing it of tolerating anti-Jewish harassment. Harvard , saying they encroached on the university鈥檚 autonomy and represented a threat to the freedom of all U.S. universities.
Trump officials have repeatedly raised the stakes and sought new fronts to pressure Harvard, cutting more than $2.6 billion in research grants and moving to end all federal contracts with the university. The latest threat has targeted Harvard鈥檚 roughly 7,000 international students, who account for half the enrollment at some Harvard graduate schools.
鈥淎dmission to the United States to study at an 鈥榚lite鈥 American university is a privilege, not a right,鈥 Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a post on X. 鈥淭his Department of Justice will vigorously defend the President鈥檚 proclamation suspending the entry of new foreign students at Harvard University based on national security concerns.鈥
Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., called the measure ridiculous and said it has nothing to do with national security.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a thinly veiled revenge ploy in Trump鈥檚 personal feud with Harvard, and continued authoritarian overreach against free speech,鈥 Jayapal said on the social media site X.
The order applies to all students attempting to enter the United States to attend Harvard after the date of the executive order. It provides a loophole to allow students whose entry would 鈥渂enefit the national interest,鈥 as determined by federal officials.
Trump鈥檚 order alleges that Harvard provided data on misconduct by only three students in response to the Homeland Security request, and it lacked the detail to gauge if federal action was needed. Trump concluded that Harvard is either 鈥渘ot fully reporting its disciplinary records for foreign students or is not seriously policing its foreign students.鈥
鈥淭hese actions and failures directly undermine the Federal Government鈥檚 ability to ensure that foreign nationals admitted on student or exchange visitor visas remain in compliance with Federal law,鈥 the order said.
For foreign students already at Harvard, Secretary of State Marco Rubio will determine if visas should be revoked, Trump wrote.
The order is scheduled to last six months. Within 90 days, the administration will determine if it should be renewed, the order said.
A State Department cable sent last week to U.S. embassies and consulates said federal officials will the social media accounts of visa applicants who plan to attend, work at or visit Harvard University for any signs of antisemitism.
In a court filing last week, Harvard officials said the Trump administration鈥檚 efforts to stop Harvard from enrolling international students have created an environment of 鈥減rofound fear, concern, and confusion.鈥 Countless international students have asked about transferring from the university, Harvard immigration services director Maureen Martin said in the filing. ___
Associated Press writer Cheyanne Mumphrey in Phoenix contributed to this report.
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