Donald Trump has once again taken aim at Harvard University—this time over its enrollment of international students. In what’s quickly becoming a full-blown political and legal showdown, the president has accused the Ivy League school of harboring too many foreign nationals, some from countries he claims are “not at all friendly to the United States.” According to Trump, these students’ home governments contribute “nothing” toward their education, leaving American taxpayers and Harvard itself footing the bill.

At the heart of the dispute is Harvard’s sizable international student population, which accounts for roughly 27–31% of its student body. Trump isn’t just griping from the sidelines either. His administration, through Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, attempted to revoke Harvard’s federal certification to enroll foreign students. That move would have effectively forced thousands of students to leave the country. The reason cited? Harvard allegedly failed to turn over records on student visa holders—records the administration wanted to include disciplinary files and documentation tied to campus protests.

Trump didn’t stop there. He demanded that Harvard publicly disclose the names and national origins of its international students, arguing that transparency is warranted given the billions in federal support the school receives. He also insisted that Harvard dip into its own $52 billion endowment to fund operations, rather than relying on taxpayer dollars, especially while refusing to comply with his administration’s demands.

Harvard, for its part, has pushed back—hard. The university filed a lawsuit, claiming the administration’s actions amount to political retaliation, particularly after Harvard resisted federal interference in its internal governance and admissions processes. A federal judge agreed—at least for now—issuing a temporary injunction to block the move against Harvard’s foreign student program while the case plays out in court.

This isn’t just about Harvard. Colleges and universities across the country are watching closely, fearing that they could be next in line for similar treatment. International students, who often pay full freight in tuition, play a vital financial role at many institutions. Critics of Trump’s move argue that pushing them away would hurt not only higher education’s bottom line but also America’s global standing.

Trump’s latest offensive fits neatly into his broader campaign against elite academia. From protests on campus to DEI programs and now international enrollment, he’s zeroing in on universities he sees as out of step with American interests. Whether this strategy holds up in court remains to be seen—but it’s clear Trump isn’t backing down.