A spokesperson for First Lady Melania Trump has denied rumors that suggest President Donald Trump is in conflict with Harvard University because their son, Barron, was allegedly rejected from the school. The claim, first reported by the Palm Beach Post, states that Barron did not apply to Harvard, and any assertion of an application is entirely false. This comes amid online speculation that Trump is targeting Harvard with federal funding cuts over Barron’s purported rejection. However, the Trump administration is now actively seeking to terminate all federal contracts with Harvard amid an ongoing dispute over foreign student records at the Ivy League institution.
Harvard has since sued the administration, seeking the restoration of approximately $3.2 billion in frozen federal grant funding. Meanwhile, Trump has accused Harvard of being ‘very antisemitic’ and suggested considering redirecting federal funds to trade schools across the country. The Department of Homeland Security, led by Secretary Kristi Noem, has informed Harvard’s leadership that the university has lost its privilege of enrolling foreign students due to its refusal to comply with requests for information. Harvard’s legal team has secured a temporary restraining order from a federal judge, preventing the government from revoking the university’s certification in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program.
This controversy highlights the broader conflict between the Trump administration and Harvard over the handling of foreign student records. The administration has accused the university of creating an unsafe campus environment hostile to Jewish students, promoting pro-Hamas sympathies, and employing ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ policies perceived as racist. Harvard, in turn, has argued that the administration’s actions are politically motivated and lack proper evidence. The situation has drawn significant media attention, with multiple outlets reporting on the escalating tensions between the federal government and the Ivy League institution.
The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment, leaving the matter unresolved for now. However, the ongoing dispute has significant implications for both the university and the administration, potentially affecting the future of international student programs and federal funding allocations. The legal battle is expected to continue as both sides remain entrenched in their positions.