May 26, 2025
Since returning to office, President Trump has intensified efforts to reshape America’s higher education landscape — and Harvard is directly in the crosshairs.
On May 22, the Trump administration announced plans to halt the university’s ability to enroll international students, cutting off a major revenue stream for one of the nation’s oldest and wealthiest institutions. The move follows weeks of rising tension, including an April 14 standoff when Harvard refused to comply with demands to overhaul its governance, hiring, admissions and research programs.
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But Shark Tank star and Trump supporter Kevin O’Leary isn’t buying it. In an appearance on Fox Business, the celebrity investor — who also teaches at Harvard Business School — was asked what he makes of the Trump administration’s “strong move against Harvard.” O’Leary pushed back on it, saying his students don’t hate America. In fact, they’re eager to build businesses here.
“We want them here. I want to invest in them. I’ve already invested in two of them,” O’Leary told Varney & Co. on Fox, as reported by the Daily Beast. “These are the brightest and the best from around the world, and they’re coming for the American dream.”
International students are a major part of Harvard’s identity. The university has nearly 7,000 students from around the world, accounting for about 27% of its student body.
While U.S. District Judge Allison D. Burroughs has issued a temporary restraining order to block the Trump administration’s measure, the legal battle — and Harvard’s future with international students — is far from over.
Stuck in limbo
The Trump administration’s latest attack on Harvard hinges on claims that the university is failing to uphold American values. Trump has pointed to student-held pro-Palestinian protests as evidence, but O’Leary isn’t convinced and says that’s not what he’s seeing.
O’Leary believes that targeting elite institutions such as Harvard could have unintended consequences — especially when it comes to attracting top global talent. He’s urging President Trump and Harvard’s president, Alan Garber, to come to an agreement.
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“This has to get worked out,” O’Leary said. “When I go back there to teach in the fall, I want the best and brightest because I, along with millions of other investors, want them to stay in America.”
But for many students, the uncertainty is already settling in. The Trump administration’s order leaves international students at Harvard in a precarious position. Those on student visas could be forced to transfer to another institution in order to remain in the country — even if they’re just weeks away from graduation.
Marc Hvidkjaer, a doctoral student from Denmark, is among those students feeling the tension.
“I’m in limbo and the government has shown its hand here. And it’s showed to what lengths it is willing to go,” he told City News.
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Harvard pushes back
Harvard’s standoff with the Trump administration isn’t just about one university — it could set the tone for the future of higher education across the country.
In April, the university formally rejected a series of demands from the administration, arguing that compliance would effectively hand over control of its curriculum and operations to a conservative-led government. In its legal complaint, Harvard called the move a “blatant violation of the First Amendment."
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Legal experts say the standoff carries implications far beyond Harvard’s campus.
“Perhaps this was not necessarily just about Harvard,” Charles Kuck, an Immigration Lawyer and Emory University Professor, told City News. “This was a message to all of higher education that you have to come into line with the thinking of what this administration thinks higher education should be.”
Lee C. Bollinger, former president of Columbia University, echoed that sentiment, telling the New York Times that Harvard’s refusal to back down is “precisely what has been needed.” He praised the university for defending not just academic freedom, but the democratic values embedded in America’s most vital institutions.
In the face of growing political pressure, President Garber said Harvard would continue to stand its ground.
“As we pursue legal remedies, we will do everything in our power to support our students and scholars,” he said in a statement.
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Victoria Vesovski is a Toronto-based Staff Reporter at Moneywise, where she covers the intersection of personal finance, lifestyle and trending news. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto, a postgraduate certificate in Publishing from Toronto Metropolitan University and a Master’s degree in American Journalism from New York University’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. Her work has been featured in publications including Apple News, Yahoo Finance, MSN Money, Her Campus Media and The Click.
