'We want those names and countries': Trump demands list of foreign Harvard students, claims 'they can’t add two and two'

US President Donald Trump has aimed at Harvard University, demanding to know more about its international student population and why the countries they come from are not contributing financially.

In a post on Truth Social on Sunday (May 25) morning, Trump wrote, “Why isn’t Harvard saying that almost 31% of their students are from FOREIGN LANDS, and yet those countries, some not at all friendly to the United States, pay NOTHING toward their student’s [sic] education, nor do they ever intend to.”

The comment comes just days after his administration attempted to block Harvard from admitting international students. A federal court has since issued a temporary restraining order, pausing the move.

Trump wants names and nationalities

Trump went on to demand more transparency from the university. “Nobody told us that! We want to know who those foreign students are, a reasonable request since we give Harvard BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, but Harvard isn’t exactly forthcoming. We want those names and countries,” he said.

Harvard currently has 6,793 international students for the 2024–2025 academic year, making up 27.2% of its student body, according to university figures.

Neither Harvard nor the White House responded immediately to media requests for comment.

Trump administration escalates standoff with elite universities

The dispute between Harvard and the Trump administration began in March after the government’s antisemitism task force launched a review of the university’s federal funding. Since then, nearly $2.7 billion in grants have been withheld, including $450 million earlier this month.

Critics argue that this is part of a wider Republican effort to challenge what they see as left-wing bias in higher education.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem revoked Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification on Thursday, which would bar the university from enrolling new foreign students.

Trump defended the decision, taking a swipe at Harvard’s academic standards. “The students can’t add two and two, and they go to Harvard... now, wait a minute. So why would they get in?” he said, referring to a newly introduced introductory maths course.

Harvard hits back and court intervenes

The university responded strongly to the administration’s actions, calling them politically motivated. “This retaliatory action threatens serious harm to the Harvard community and our country, and undermines Harvard’s academic and research mission,” it said in a statement.

Harvard had previously declined to comply fully with Noem’s request for detailed information on student visa holders, instead saying it would only provide what was legally required. In an April 30 letter, the university wrote that it aimed to maintain its SEVP status.

Meredith Weenick, Harvard’s executive vice president, also defended the value of international students: “Our thousands of international students who hail from more than 140 countries enrich the University community, and this nation, immeasurably with their presence and contributions.”

On Friday, a federal court sided with Harvard, blocking the revocation of its SEVP certification after the university filed a lawsuit calling the administration’s move “arbitrary, capricious, unlawful, and unconstitutional.” Harvard had already launched legal action last month, claiming the attacks infringed its First Amendment rights.