Donald Trump claims foreign students at Harvard cannot do basic math as he doubles down on his administration’s decision to block the university from enrolling foreign students.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced Thursday that the administration is ending Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification, claiming they are holding the university “accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus.”
Trump defended the move during an event at the White House on Friday, arguing that foreign students can’t do basic math.
“The students can’t add two and two and they go to Harvard,” he said in response to a question about the move blocking the world’s best and brightest from coming to the United States, according to a clip highlighted by Mediaite. “They want remedial math, and they’re going to teach remedial math at Harvard. Now, wait a minute. So why would they get in? How can somebody that can’t and has very basic skills, how do they get into Harvard? Why are they there?”
He continued: “Then you see those same people picketing and screaming at the United States and screaming that they’re antisemitic or they’re something. We don’t want troublemakers here, but how do people that can’t — when Harvard comes out with a statement that they gonna teach some of their students remedial math, that’s basic math, that’s not the deal.”
Last year Harvard’s Math Department introduced a new course to “rectify a lack of foundational algebra skills among students” to address gaps in math skill levels that had been exacerbated during the COVID pandemic, according to the Harvard Crimson.
On Friday, U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs temporarily blocked the Trump administration from cutting off Harvard’s enrollment of foreign students.
“With the stroke of a pen, the government has sought to erase a quarter of Harvard’s student body, international students who contribute significantly to the University and its mission,” Harvard said in its suit. “Without its international students, Harvard is not Harvard.”
