Trump Cuts Harvard Funding Again, Sparking Student Protests as Global Universities Compete for Talent | WPN World People News

U.S. President Donald Trump on the 27th once again took aim at Harvard University, announcing the cancellation of 30 cooperative programs with a total budget of \$100 million. Hundreds of students staged protests on campus, opposing Trump’s restrictions on international students and the defunding of Harvard.

The General Services Administration (GSA), which oversees federal government contracts, determined that Harvard engaged in discriminatory admissions and hiring practices and failed to protect Jewish students from harassment. The GSA has ordered federal agencies to review their research and training collaborations with Harvard, with the estimated impact reaching \$100 million. According to the Associated Press, Harvard has already lost over \$2.6 billion in federal funding for refusing to comply with several of Trump’s policies. Trump has also revoked Harvard’s tax-exempt status, banned it from admitting international students, and required foreign students to transfer elsewhere. A judge has temporarily halted the enforcement of this ban, with a hearing scheduled for May 29 — which coincides with Harvard’s commencement ceremony.

During the protests, students held signs reading “Trump = Traitor” and “Let those who belong in the classroom stay,” condemning Trump for forcing Harvard to submit to government oversight of students. International students expressed anxiety about their uncertain futures, while professors voiced concern that the situation would discourage top scholars from coming to the U.S. Harvard has filed a lawsuit, accusing the government of violating due process and infringing on the university’s constitutional right to free speech.

In a previous interview, Trump claimed that a significant portion of Harvard’s federal funding — spent on foreign students who make up around 30% of the student body — amounted to exploiting the U.S., and he threatened further budget cuts, suggesting the funds be redirected to vocational schools across the country. On the 28th, Trump again asserted that the appropriate cap for international students at Harvard should be 15%.

Seizing the opportunity, Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology announced plans to welcome affected Harvard students to the University of Tokyo. Meanwhile, universities in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau also reached out to this group of students.