"A Great Investment for America"
Repeated Demands for Disclosure of International Student List
U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he is considering redirecting $3 billion (approximately 4.11 trillion won) in federal subsidies previously provided to Harvard University to vocational schools. He also increased pressure on Harvard by repeatedly demanding the disclosure of the names of its international students.
On the 25th (local time), President Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social, "I am considering taking back the $3 billion in subsidies from the very anti-Semitic Harvard and giving it to vocational schools across our land," adding, "This would be a great investment for America and something that is very much needed."
In another post, he stated, "We are still waiting for the list of international students from Harvard," arguing, "Only then can we determine, after the outrageous billions of dollars spent (on Harvard), how many radical lunatics and troublemakers should never be allowed into our country again."
Since taking office, President Trump has been in conflict with major private universities in the United States, including Harvard, criticizing their anti-Semitism and progressive policies such as the adoption of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. When Harvard refused to accept changes to campus policies and demands for government intervention in personnel matters from the Trump administration, the government responded by cutting and freezing subsidy support. President Trump's announcement that he plans to redirect subsidies previously given to Harvard to vocational schools is seen as an attempt to partially counter criticism that tightening the university's funding would infringe on academic freedom.
Recently, the Trump administration revoked Harvard's certification for the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), stripping the university of its eligibility to enroll international students. In response, Harvard immediately filed a lawsuit in the Massachusetts federal court, and the court granted a preliminary injunction, suspending the effect of the SEVP certification revocation.
Regarding the court's decision, President Trump said, "The best thing Harvard did was, after looking around, they found the best judge for them," adding, "But there is no need to worry. In the end, the government will win."
The previous day, President Trump had also demanded that Harvard disclose the names and nationalities of its international students. On his social media, he wrote, "Why doesn't Harvard disclose that nearly 31% of its entire student body comes from abroad?" He continued, "Some countries are not friendly to the United States at all, spend nothing to educate their students here, and have no intention of doing so. We want to know who these international students are."
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