The administration of US President Donald Trump is waging a culture war. The argument that this dispute is related to the fight against anti-Semitism and the safety of students of Jewish origin, for example during the university protests against the war in Gaza, is fabricated, believes Harvard student Michael Gritzbach: "It makes no sense to claim that you are protecting Israeli students and then expel them from the country. This is madness", he points out to the German public media ARD.
The German, who will most likely not be able to complete his master's degree at Harvard now, sees this as a warning to other American universities: „Look at what is happening here. If you don't comply, you'll be next."
Trump doesn't deny that the dispute over residency rights is not the main battle in this case. Rather, it's about influence and money, he admitted at a press conference in Washington on Friday evening. The United States pays billions and billions to universities like Harvard, Trump said, hinting at grants, scholarships and generous tax breaks. In return, Harvard must change, the Republican believes.
The punishment for Harvard affects the entire country
The damage to the United States as a scientific center, which is losing more and more positions in the race with China, is already visible. The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, for example, offers a seamless transfer for anyone who cannot continue their studies at Harvard.
The United States is losing an important resource, warns Ryan Enos, a political scientist at Harvard, in an interview with CNN: "This is an incredible blessing that no other country can boast of". The brightest minds in the world not only come to the United States to study, but many of them stay in the country afterwards. Therefore, this sanction against Harvard affects the entire United States, which is now deprived of this capital.
Meanwhile, US courts are still protecting the freedom of universities to attract foreign students to the country. And students will find out whether the Trump administration will comply with these court decisions in practice only when they next enter the country - in September, when the next semester begins, ARD writes more on the topic.
Author: Samuel Yakish (ARD)