President Donald Trump’s “America First” education policy has now squarely hit Harvard University, with the administration threatening to cut all federal funding over alleged violations of Jewish students’ civil rights. An investigation concluded that Harvard was a “willful participant in anti-Semitic harassment” and failed to protect students from discrimination.
This latest move aligns with President Trump’s broader agenda to influence university policies. Harvard had already lost over $2.6 billion in federal funding after rejecting the administration’s demands for significant changes in campus hiring, admissions, and governance. The current threat of a total funding cut underscores the severity of the alleged civil rights violations.
The “America First” theme was also evident in President Trump’s previous critique of Harvard’s international student enrollment. He suggested capping foreign students at around 15%, arguing that Harvard’s reported 31% international student body limited opportunities for American applicants to elite schools. This focus on domestic students has been a consistent element of his stance.
The dispute previously intensified when the administration revoked Harvard’s certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, effectively banning the university from enrolling international students. Harvard responded by suing the Trump administration, labeling the ban as unconstitutional retaliation. More recently, however, President Trump announced on Truth Social that talks were underway with Harvard officials to resolve the long-standing dispute, expressing optimism for a “mindbogglingly’ HISTORIC” settlement.
