'We don't want shopping centres exploding': Trump says foreign students at Harvard could be 'troublemakers'

US President Donald Trump has renewed his criticism of Harvard University, demanding that the prestigious institution cap its foreign student intake at 15 per cent. He alleged that Harvard, which he claims admits almost 31 per cent international students, allows in individuals from "very radicalised" regions, some of whom he labelled as "troublemakers".

“We don’t want to see shopping centres explode. We don’t want to see the kind of riots that you had,” Trump said during a press conference. “Many of those students didn’t go anywhere, many of those students were troublemakers caused by the radical left.”

According to Harvard’s website, international students currently account for 27.2% of its student body. However, Trump insisted that number was still too high.

#WATCH | On student visa issue, US President Donald Trump says, "... We don't want to see shopping centres explode. We don't want to see the kind of riots that you had, and I'll tell you what, many of those students didn't go anywhere, many of those students were troublemakers… pic.twitter.com/dZCpcUJM4r

— ANI (@ANI) May 28, 2025

“Harvard has to show us their lists”
The president has also demanded more transparency from Harvard about the backgrounds of its foreign students. “Harvard has to show us their lists,” he said. “We want to know where those students come from, whether they are troublemakers, and what countries they come from... You’re going to see some very radical people.”

He continued, “I want to make sure that foreign students are people that can love our country... We have people that want to go to Harvard and other schools but they can’t get in because we have foreign students there.”

Trump cited a specific example from the UK. “So I saw yesterday that in the middle of the UK, there was a nice young man who wants to go back to school at Harvard, and he looked good to me. But I want to check his passport. These countries aren’t helping us; they’re not investing in Harvard, and we are.”

Also Read: US to revoke visas of Chinese students linked to Chinese Communist Party or critical fields, Marco Rubio announces


Visa restrictions and funding cuts
Trump’s remarks come as the State Department has ordered US embassies to pause new student visa appointments. This follows a broader push by the Trump administration to reduce international enrolments at elite institutions like Harvard.

The administration has also taken steps to strip Harvard of billions in federal funding, alleging it has failed to address anti-Semitism and has promoted divisive ideological agendas. “Harvard has been a disaster. They’ve taken $5 billion+... And by the way, they’re totally anti-Semitic at Harvard, and some other colleges too,” Trump said.

He went on, “Every time they fight, they lose another $250 million... I think this is what everyone’s coming up to me saying, we love the idea of trade schools with that kind of money... They can only be used for trade schools, and they’ll teach people how to build AI.”

Harvard pushes back in Court
In response, Harvard has mounted a legal challenge. The university filed a lawsuit in federal court, arguing that the Trump administration’s decision to revoke its certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program was “clear retaliation” for refusing the government’s policy demands.

Harvard described the move as unlawful and warned it "imperils the futures of thousands of students and scholars." A federal judge has since granted a temporary halt to the ban on international enrolments.

The university also denied claims of ideological bias, asserting that it had broadly refused requests to hand over the full conduct records of foreign students and allow federal audits of “viewpoint diversity.”

Also Read: Trump administration halts new student visa interviews, causing anxiety among Indian aspirants

Trump warns: “Harvard’s got to behave”
Asked how he sees the conflict with Harvard ending, Trump replied, “I don’t know. Harvard’s got to behave themselves. I’m looking out for the country and for Harvard. I want Harvard to do well, I want Harvard to be great again.”

This standoff is part of a wider campaign by Trump to reshape higher education policy. His administration has increasingly targeted universities over issues such as support for pro-Palestinian protests, climate programmes, and diversity initiatives. Harvard remains at the centre of the storm.