The Trump administration has launched a formal investigation into Harvard University’s eligibility to participate in the U.S. State Department’s Exchange Visitor Program, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Wednesday. The move marks a new escalation in the administration’s ongoing conflict with the Ivy League institution.
Rubio said the investigation aims to ensure that the State Department’s educational and cultural exchange programs “do not run contrary to our nation’s interests,” though he did not provide specific details about the inquiry.
The review targets Harvard’s use of the J-1 visa program, which allows international students, scholars, and researchers to study or work temporarily in the United States. This is separate from the F-1 visa program, which is primarily overseen by the Department of Homeland Security and covers most international students.
This latest step comes amid ongoing legal battles between Harvard and the federal government. In May, the Trump administration attempted to revoke the university’s participation in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, but that decision was blocked by U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs.
“All sponsors participating in this program must fully comply with regulations and demonstrate a commitment to transparency, cultural exchange, and mutual understanding,” Rubio said in a statement. He added that exchange programs must not “undermine U.S. foreign policy objectives or compromise national security.”
The administration has previously accused Harvard of failing to provide required information about its international students and of failing to address antisemitic incidents on campus—claims the university disputes.
In a separate move earlier this year, the administration froze over $2.2 billion in federal grants and $60 million in contracts to Harvard, citing the university’s refusal to implement new rules on admissions, student conduct, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies.
Harvard spokesperson Jason Newton responded Wednesday, calling the investigation “a retaliatory step taken by the Administration in violation of Harvard’s First Amendment rights.”
“Harvard continues to sponsor and support international scholars, researchers, and students,” the statement read. “The University remains committed to complying with Exchange Visitor Program regulations and will continue to support its international community as they apply for U.S. visas and prepare for the fall semester.”
The State Department has also stepped up scrutiny of visa applicants more broadly. A recent cable instructed U.S. embassies and consulates to evaluate applicants’ social media activity and to flag any signs of “hostile attitudes toward our citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles.”
Wednesday’s announcement comes just two days after Harvard faced off against a government attorney in federal court over the funding freeze. The university argued that the Trump administration violated legal procedures in suspending the grants. Judge Burroughs, who is also overseeing that case, has not yet issued a ruling.
