By: Fern Sidman

In an unprecedented move that intensifies his administration’s standoff with the Ivy League, President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed a sweeping proclamation banning foreign students from entering the United States to study at Harvard University for the next six months. The directive, which was obtained and reported on by The New York Post, represents the most aggressive federal action to date targeting the student visa program of a single American university.

According to the proclamation, which suspends the entry of new F-1, M-1, and J-1 visa holders seeking to attend or participate in Harvard’s international exchange programs, the decision was driven by what the White House called “grave national security concerns, persistent violations of immigration law, and a pattern of non-compliance with federal oversight.”

“When a university refuses to uphold its legal obligations, including its recordkeeping and reporting obligations, the consequences ripple far beyond the campus,” the document states. “They jeopardize the integrity of the entire United States student and exchange visitor visa system, compromise national security, and embolden other institutions to similarly disregard the rule of law.”

As The New York Post report noted, the ban singles out Harvard alone — a rare and dramatic rebuke of a single educational institution by the federal government. No other American universities were included in the proclamation.

President Trump, speaking at the White House shortly after signing the measure, reiterated his accusation that Harvard had “treated the United States with great disrespect” and accused the school of becoming a hub for foreign influence, antisemitism, and ideological radicalism under the guise of academic freedom. “Harvard is no longer a trustworthy steward of international student and exchange visitor programs,” he said, adding that “every foreign student who passes through their gates becomes part of an institution that has defied federal law and endangered American values.”

The executive order also instructs Secretary of State Marco Rubio to launch a formal review of the nearly 7,000 foreign students currently enrolled at Harvard on non-immigrant visas. Rubio is tasked with determining whether these students — many of whom hail from Canada, China, India, the United Kingdom, and European Union countries — should be expelled before the 2025–2026 academic year begins.

Among those caught in the crosshairs are high-profile international students such as Cleo Carney, daughter of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and Belgium’s Princess Elisabeth. As The New York Post reported, both students are now under review by the State Department’s visa security division.

Harvard issued a strongly worded response to the proclamation, calling the ban “a retaliatory step in violation of Harvard’s First Amendment rights.” In a statement to The New York Post, the university said: “This is yet another illegal retaliatory step taken by the administration. Harvard will continue to protect its international students, who are an essential part of our academic and cultural community.”

The backdrop of this executive action is a contentious legal battle over the federal government’s attempt to obtain access to Harvard’s records concerning foreign students and their participation in political protests. The Department of Homeland Security, under Secretary Kristi Noem, had earlier filed a motion to terminate Harvard’s eligibility to admit foreign nationals under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), citing the school’s refusal to provide video and audio recordings of protest activity involving international students over the past five years.

That effort was temporarily halted by a Massachusetts judge, who issued a preliminary injunction blocking the department’s move and scheduled a hearing for later this summer. Still, as The New York Post reported, the Trump administration’s latest proclamation appears to sidestep that legal setback by using executive authority to halt new visa admissions independent of the SEVP case.

The move also builds on President Trump’s escalating pressure campaign against Harvard and other elite academic institutions, particularly over their handling of antisemitic incidents and campus protests. In recent months, Trump has threatened to revoke Harvard’s access to over $3.3 billion in federal funding unless the school adopts a sweeping series of reforms — including new restrictions on speech deemed antisemitic, mandatory courses on Jewish history, and independent oversight of campus activism. He has proposed redirecting those funds to expand vocational training programs and technical schools.

Supporters of the president’s actions claim the crackdown is overdue. “This is about accountability,” a senior administration official told The New York Post. “You cannot take billions in taxpayer dollars while enabling foreign nationals to foment antisemitism, engage in unlawful protests, and then hide behind academic privilege.”

Critics, however, warn that the proclamation sets a dangerous precedent by targeting a single institution for political purposes. Immigration attorneys, civil liberties organizations, and faculty unions have raised alarms about the legality of using executive authority to enforce visa policy selectively. “This is not about national security,” said one prominent immigration lawyer quoted by The New York Post. “This is about punishing Harvard for refusing to bow to political demands.”

Despite the legal and political backlash, the Trump administration appears determined to make an example of Harvard. The six-month ban is expected to be re-evaluated at the end of the current period, with potential extensions depending on Harvard’s compliance with the federal demands.

As the 2025–2026 academic year approaches, thousands of international students accepted to Harvard — many of whom have already secured housing, visas, and travel plans — now face uncertainty. And while the university prepares for further court battles, the broader academic world is watching closely.

In the words of The New York Post, “The president’s message is clear: no institution, no matter how prestigious, is above federal law — and those that defy it will face consequences.”