Top US universities raced to become global campuses. Under Trump, it’s becoming a liability
June 5, 2025
Three decades ago, foreign students at Harvard University accounted for just 11% of the total student body. Today they account for 26%. Like other prestigious U.S. universities, Harvard has admitted booming numbers of foreign students in recent decades. The college has been cashing in on its global cache to recruit the world’s best students. Yet universities’ race to the top of global rankings has made them vulnerable to a new line of attack. President Donald Trump is using his control over the nation’s borders as leverage in his quest to reshape American higher education. On Wednesday, Trump barred nearly all foreigners from entering the country to attend Harvard.
