Trump halts student visa interviews amid potential social media screening policy
Washington, D.C. – The U.S. government has temporarily suspended new student visa interviews as officials consider implementing stricter vetting measures, including social media checks, for foreign applicants, according to a diplomatic cable obtained by Politico.
The move comes amid escalating tensions between the Trump administration and Harvard University over its enrollment of international students. Last week, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem revoked Harvard’s authority to admit foreign nationals, jeopardizing the status of thousands of students and the significant revenue they generate.
Noem had previously threatened to block international students unless Harvard provided records on visa holders’ alleged “illegal and violent activities.” However, a federal judge temporarily halted the order after the university filed a lawsuit, calling the action “arbitrary, capricious, and unconstitutional.” A hearing on the injunction is scheduled for Thursday.
Harvard President Alan Garber condemned the move, warning that it “endangers the futures of thousands of students and scholars at Harvard and sends a chilling message to international students nationwide.”
The dispute reflects broader efforts by the Trump administration to exert greater control over U.S. universities, which have long been global hubs for education and research. In recent weeks, the White House has also targeted other soft-power instruments, including humanitarian aid and the Voice of America network.
Government Cuts Ties with Harvard
In a further escalation, a senior official confirmed Tuesday that the federal government plans to terminate all remaining financial contracts with Harvard—estimated at $100 million—in what appears to be retaliation for the university’s resistance to increased oversight.
The administration has accused Harvard of fostering anti-Semitism and liberal bias, demanding unprecedented measures such as campus political audits and bans on students deemed “hostile to American values.”
Harvard has pushed back, arguing that these actions are unconstitutional and threaten its academic independence. The university has already faced frozen federal grants and an attempted ban on hosting foreign students, which was temporarily blocked by a court last week.
President Trump, meanwhile, has vowed to prevail in the standoff, alleging on social media that Harvard hosts “radicalized lunatics and troublemakers” among its international students.
The outcome of this clash could have far-reaching implications for U.S. higher education, potentially reshaping how universities interact with the federal government and admit foreign students in the future.
