Steve Cortes, founder of the League of American Workers, said that President Donald Trump took “aggressive” action against Harvard University. This action involved prohibiting U.S. taxpayer support for elite universities enrolling foreign nationals. Cortes made this statement in a post on X.
“Should we taxpayers fund Harvard to educate the sons and daughters of the Chinese Communist Party,” said Cortes, Founder of League of American Workers. “Should we subsidize schools that bring in thousands of foreigners — and teach ALL students to hate America? Pres Trump takes aggressive action!”
In May 2025, the Trump administration intensified its scrutiny of elite universities by pausing student visa interviews, proposing a 15% cap on foreign student enrollment, and initiating visa revocations, particularly targeting Chinese students. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, these measures have raised concerns about their impact on academic openness and university finances.
According to Newsweek, in 2024, Chinese nationals comprised approximately 20% of Harvard’s international student enrollment.
The Trump administration has cut $2.6 billion in federal grants to Harvard, forcing it to self-fund much of its research operations.
Cortes is a former Trump campaign adviser and political commentator who served on President Trump’s Hispanic Advisory Council.