As the clash between the world’s richest university and the world's most powerful man escalates, Harvard University remains, so far, the most prominent institution to stand up to US President Donald Trump and his administration.

On April 11, the Trump administration sent Harvard a list of demands, including "shuttering all diversity, equity, and inclusion" programs and having a government-approved external body audit the student and staff for "viewpoint diversity."

Some demands were particularly targeted at Harvard's handling of international students. They included reforming the admissions process to "prevent admitting students hostile to the American values" and having Harvard report foreign students who commit a conduct violation to federal authorities like the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department.

Although the government swiftly retaliated with a $2.2 billion (€1.9 billion) federal funding freeze, Harvard's defiance marks a key moment in the ongoing battle between the government and private US universities as the Trump administration pushes to assert more ideological control over higher education.

The government has cited pro-Palestinian protests erupting across universities in 2024 as a reason to punish universities for what it deems as allowing antisemitism and failing to keep Jewish students safe.

One group has emerged particularly vulnerable as Trump targets universities: international students.........

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