Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Pentagon ends all military training, fellowships, and certificate programs with Harvard University — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the Pentagon is terminating all Professional Military Education, fellowships, and certificate programs with Harvard University, characterizing the institution as "woke" and a center of "Hate America activism." Hegseth stated that within two weeks, all military departments will evaluate existing graduate programs for active-duty service members at Ivy League and other civilian universities. The move follows months of Trump administration threats, lawsuits, and demands against Harvard, including Trump's claim seeking $1 billion in damages over alleged antisemitism enablement.

Supporting reports

• Trump suspends Harvard from student visa program — Trump signed a proclamation suspending Harvard University from the student visa program, effectively banning international students from attending the school.

Supporting reports

• Trump signs proclamation to restrict foreign student visas at Harvard — On June 4, 2025, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation to restrict foreign student visas at Harvard University. The order suspends the entry of foreign nationals seeking to study or participate in exchange programs at Harvard for six months, citing national security concerns. The proclamation also directs the State Department to consider revoking visas of current Harvard students who meet the criteria. This move is part of the administration's ongoing conflict with Harvard, which has included freezing grants and threatening to end its tax-exempt status.

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• Trump Administration Orders Social Media Screening for Harvard Visitors — The Trump administration has mandated that US consulates worldwide conduct mandatory social media screenings for all visa applicants intending to visit Harvard University. This directive, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, requires enhanced vetting of students, faculty, staff, and other visitors to Harvard, viewing private social media accounts as potential signs of evasiveness. The policy, part of a pilot program, is linked to concerns about antisemitism on campus and aims to identify applicants with histories of antisemitic behavior. The directive is part of broader actions against elite universities, including stripping Harvard of research funding.

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• Trump administration pauses foreign student visa interviews — The Trump administration ordered U.S. embassies and consulates to pause scheduling new interviews for foreign student visa applicants, potentially slowing down the visa processing system.
• Trump administration halts student visa interviews at US embassies — The Trump administration has issued a directive to US embassies worldwide to stop scheduling visa interviews for foreign students. This move is part of a broader plan to implement comprehensive social media screening for all international applicants. The directive, communicated via a state department cable, instructs consular sections to pause adding any additional student or exchange visitor visa appointment capacity until further guidance is provided. This action could significantly delay visa processing and impact universities that depend on foreign students for revenue.
• Trump Administration Pauses Visa Interviews for Foreign Students — The Trump administration has paused all visa interviews for foreign students seeking to study in the United States. This measure is intended to allow time to establish a procedure for vetting prospective students' social media accounts. The pause effectively halts the application process for new international students, impacting their ability to study in the U.S. The administration's actions are part of a broader strategy to limit foreign student enrollment, which includes previous attempts to restrict international students at institutions like Harvard University.

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• Trump cuts ties with Harvard — The Trump administration ordered all federal agencies to sever ties with Harvard University and revoke existing contracts and grants, totaling around $100 million.
• Trump orders federal agencies to cut ties with Harvard — The Trump administration has directed federal agencies to cancel all government contracts with Harvard University, totaling an estimated $100 million. This directive, issued by the General Service Administration (GSA), affects contracts across nine federal departments and is part of a broader effort by the administration to sever ties with the university. The administration cites alleged race discrimination and a lack of concern for Jewish students' safety as reasons for the action. Harvard has responded by filing multiple lawsuits, arguing that the administration's actions violate constitutional protections for academic freedom.

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• Trump Administration Revokes Harvard's Privilege to Enroll Foreign Students — The Trump administration informed Harvard University that it had lost the privilege to enroll foreign students due to the university's failure to provide information on foreign students' protest activities and coursework. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem stated this decision aimed to enforce the law against anti-Americanism and antisemitism. In response, Harvard filed a lawsuit claiming the action violated the First Amendment and due process rights, leading to a temporary restraining order from Judge Allison Burroughs to prevent the policy from taking effect.

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• DHS Secretary Kristi Noem revokes Harvard's Foreign Exchange Student Program — DHS Secretary Kristi Noem sent a letter to Harvard University revoking their Foreign Exchange Student Program effective immediately, preventing the enrollment of additional foreign students and requiring current students to transfer or leave the country. This action follows Harvard's failure to comply with reporting requirements requested by Noem. Legal challenges are expected in federal court in Boston.
• Trump Administration Revokes Harvard’s Ability to Enroll International Students — The Trump administration revoked Harvard University's ability to enroll international students, citing alleged anti-American activities. This decision affects thousands of students and raises concerns about academic freedom and international education.

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• Trump Administration Blocks Grant Funding for Harvard — The Trump administration, through Education Secretary Linda McMahon, has informed Harvard University that it will no longer receive federal research grants and aid unless it complies with a list of demands. This decision follows Harvard's rejection of demands from the administration's antisemitism taskforce, which were prompted by campus protests against Israel's military actions in Gaza. The administration has already frozen $2.2 billion in funding and threatened to freeze an additional $1 billion, while also considering revoking Harvard's tax-exempt status. Harvard has filed a lawsuit against the government, citing severe impacts on research and education.

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• Trump ends diversity, equity, and inclusion programs government-wide — President Trump has ended diversity, equity, and inclusion programs across the federal government, following recommendations from Project 2025. This action is part of a broader agenda to eliminate diversity efforts and reinforce traditional gender roles, including prohibiting transgender individuals in sports and the military.
• Trump signs executive order to dismantle the Department of Education — President Trump signed an executive order directing the education secretary to begin dismantling the Department of Education, a move that aligns with Project 2025's recommendations. This action requires congressional approval to be fully realized but marks a significant step towards reducing federal involvement in education.
• Trump signs executive order to reclassify civil service roles — President Trump signed an executive order in April to reclassify tens of thousands of civil service roles as political appointments. This action, promoted by Project 2025, aims to remove individuals deemed disloyal to Trump's agenda and replace them with political appointees, thereby increasing control over the federal workforce.

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• Trump Administration Investigates Harvard for Race-Based Discrimination — The Trump administration announced an investigation into Harvard University and the Harvard Law Review over allegations of race-based discrimination. This investigation is part of broader scrutiny of academic institutions.
• Trump administration launches investigation into Harvard Law Review for alleged race-based discrimination — The Trump administration announced an investigation into Harvard University and the Harvard Law Review for potential violations of civil rights law, specifically Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The investigation focuses on claims that the Harvard Law Review's article selection process may favor submissions based on the race of the author rather than merit. This move is part of a broader crackdown by the administration on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, which it argues discriminate against white people and men. The investigation was announced by the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services.

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• Trump administration announces funding freezes to Brown, Northwestern, Princeton, and Cornell universities — The White House announced funding freezes to multiple universities including Brown, Northwestern, Princeton, and Cornell, as part of a broader campaign to pressure higher education institutions to comply with Trump administration demands regarding curriculum, admissions, hiring, and DEI programs. The specific demands and freeze amounts are not detailed in the article.
• Trump administration circulates draft executive order for radical State Department restructuring — A draft executive order reportedly circulating within the Trump administration proposes a sweeping reorganization of the U.S. State Department, including elimination of the Bureau of African Affairs, Bureau of International Organizations, Office of Global Women's Issues, and special envoy for climate. The order would close unspecified "non-essential" embassies and consulates in sub-Saharan Africa, reduce diplomatic operations in Canada, and reorganize the department into four regional bureaus. State Department officials disputed the authenticity of the leaked document, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio calling it "fake news," though the New York Times and Bloomberg reported on the draft.
• Trump administration cuts federal funding to Harvard University and demands policy changes — The Trump administration cut approximately $2.3 billion in federal funding to Harvard University after the institution refused to concede to administration demands. Trump also called for Harvard's tax-exempt status to be revoked. The administration deployed an "antisemitism taskforce" to demand policy changes at universities nationwide. Columbia University capitulated to similar demands, agreeing to restore $400 million in federal funding in exchange for measures including banning face masks, empowering security to arrest people, and placing control of its Middle Eastern department under new oversight.
• Trump administration freezes $2.2bn in Harvard grants and demands government control over admissions, hiring, and curriculum — The Trump administration announced a freeze of $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in multi-year contract value to Harvard University after President Alan Garber refused demands that would grant the government authority to audit the student body, faculty, and leadership for "viewpoint diversity" and to shut down all diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. Garber stated the demands violated the university's independence and constitutional rights. The administration framed the action as addressing antisemitism and civil rights violations, though critics view it as authoritarian overreach targeting higher education as an independent sector.

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• Columbia University capitulates to Trump administration demands and places Mesaas department under receivership — Columbia University announced it would comply with Trump administration demands by placing its Mesaas department under "receivership"—removing it from faculty control—and implementing sweeping restrictions on pro-Palestinian campus activity, including protest limitations and new speech codes. The university also agreed to place the Center for Palestine Studies under receivership. These actions followed the Trump administration's $400 million funding cancellation and represented a capitulation to government pressure to suppress academic discourse on Palestine. The announcement prompted immediate condemnation from academic freedom advocates and prompted the American Association of University Professors and American Federation of Teachers to file suit against the Trump administration on behalf of Columbia faculty members.
• Trump administration cancels $400 million in federal funding to Columbia University over alleged antisemitism — The Trump administration cancelled approximately $400 million in federal funding to Columbia University, primarily allocated for scientific research, citing the university's alleged failure to protect faculty and students from antisemitic violence and harassment. The administration demanded Columbia place its Middle Eastern, South Asian and African Studies (Mesaas) department under "receivership"—external control outside faculty governance. Columbia's interim president announced the university would comply with these demands, including new restrictions on pro-Palestinian protest and academic activity. The funding cancellation was not immediately reversed despite Columbia's capitulation, with Trump officials indicating continued monitoring of the university's adherence to imposed policies.
• Columbia interim president Katrina Armstrong resigns — Columbia University's interim president Katrina Armstrong announced her resignation, becoming the second president of the university to resign within eight months. Her departure followed the university's announcement that it would comply with Trump administration demands to restrict pro-Palestinian activity and place the Mesaas department under external control. The resignation signals institutional instability and the toll of federal pressure on university leadership.