Opinion | Trump’s Harvard blow risks irreversible damage to US academic leadership

The Trump administration’s astonishing decision to revoke Harvard’s ability to enrol international students has reverberated far beyond the university. This action, characterised by the unpredictability and brinkmanship that defines recent US policy, escalates tensions, dominates headlines and wields uncertainty as leverage.

The impact is personal for the nearly 6,800 international students at Harvard, who make up over a quarter of the student body. Students who have dedicated years to pursuing an American education face the prospect of losing their visas, being forced to transfer or returning home. The uncertainty is even greater for newly admitted students. These anxieties extend to families and educators worldwide, raising questions about the future of international education.

The administration’s recent announcement about “aggressively” revoking visas already issued to Chinese students is deeply concerning. This decision comes alongside those to increase scrutiny of applications from mainland China and Hong Kong, suspend new student visa interviews and consider expanding social media vetting for all foreign applicants. Together, these measures are causing widespread disruption to institutions, students and families, intensifying uncertainty and deepening the atmosphere of anxiety throughout the academic community.

For families in Hong Kong, mainland China and beyond, the US administration’s actions are forcing an urgent reassessment of plans once regarded as clear pathways to opportunity. Heightened concerns have prompted many Chinese families to reconsider sending their children to the United States, with many now regarding Hong Kong as a safer and more dependable alternative.