When classrooms become battlegrounds: Trump's war on academia

Recently, the U.S. government announced it would suspend Harvard University's ability to enroll foreign students, drawing global attention. In response, Harvard filed a lawsuit against the government, prompting a federal judge to temporarily halt the ban. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump demanded that the proportion of foreign students at Harvard not exceed 15 percent and continued to pressure the university to provide a list of its international students.

In recent months, the Trump administration has targeted Harvard University with a series of aggressive measures aimed at the Ivy League-led U.S. higher education system. It has even claimed it will "use every legal means to shut down the Department of Education." By freezing federal funds, launching investigations and suspending the ability to enroll foreign students, the administration seeks to weaken university autonomy and reshape the college system.

Moreover, the administration has continued to exert pressure on foreign students, citing national security concerns by canceling visa interviews, censoring social media records and "aggressively revoking" visas for Chinese students. Politicizing university autonomy and closing doors to foreign students are not only part of the administration's immigration agenda but also reflect escalating partisan battles in education. For Republicans, higher education – especially Ivy League schools – is viewed as a stronghold of liberal and Democratic influence. The administration's persistent attacks on the education system aim to promote conservative ideologies and secure its voter base.

When education is politicized under the guise of "national security," what was once a rational public sphere descends into an ideological fortress in need of rebuilding.

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