Harvard Protests Erupt as Trump Administration Moves to Cut Federal Ties and Freeze Visas

Harvard University students, faculty, and alumni are pushing back with protests as President Donald Trump ramps up his criticism of the Ivy League school. NBC’s Alice Barr reports from Washington that the Trump administration has directed federal agencies to review and cancel approximately $100 million worth of contracts with Harvard.

Amid graduation season, the administration’s sweeping actions have ignited backlash. President Trump has accused the university of liberal bias and not doing enough to combat anti-Semitism. In response, the administration has already frozen billions in federal funds, launched investigations, and temporarily revoked Harvard’s ability to enroll foreign students, though a federal judge has paused that move.

As protests continue, the administration has also proposed shifting $3 billion in research funding to trade schools, advocating for more vocational training and fewer liberal arts graduates. “We need more electricians and plumbers,” Trump said, “and less LGBTQ graduate majors from Harvard University.”

Harvard has rejected demands to submit to federal oversight of its admissions and faculty hiring processes, claiming the move represents retaliation for refusing to surrender academic independence. “Why cut off research funding? Sure, it hurts Harvard, but it hurts the country,” one student protester commented.

The administration’s actions extend beyond Harvard. NBC News obtained an internal memo revealing that federal officials are halting interviews for international students seeking visas to study in the U.S., while the State Department expands social media screening of applicants.

The protests and federal scrutiny have cast a shadow over this year’s Harvard graduation, as the university and its community brace for more challenges.

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