Harvard President's Trump Dig Gets Standing Ovation During Graduation Event

Harvard University's Class of 2025 graduated on Thursday amid a deepening standoff between the university and the Trump administration over foreign student admissions. The ceremony saw Harvard President Alan M Garber deliver a veiled but firm message against recent federal actions, earning him a standing ovation from graduates and attendees.

Alan Garber, speaking at the historic Tercentenary Theatre in Harvard Yard, addressed the global makeup of the university's student body. "To the Class of 2025, from down the street, across the country, and around the world. Around the world, just as it should be," he said, in a pointed response to US President Donald Trump's moves to restrict international enrollments.

BREAKING: At the Harvard Graduation Ceremony moments ago, Harvard President Alan M. Garber just got a standing ovation after taking a subtle shot at President Trump.

"To the class of 2025, from down the street, across the country and around the world. AROUND THE WORLD! JUST AS… pic.twitter.com/jdsRmkLhS7

— Ed Krassenstein (@EdKrassen) May 29, 2025

Alan M Garber, 69, a Harvard alum with a PhD and MD from Stanford, became Interim President in 2024 after Claudine Gay's exit over pro-Palestine protest backlash.

His remarks came days after the Trump administration revoked Harvard's certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Programme (SEVP), halting its ability to admit new foreign students, a move affecting around 6,800 international students.

This followed an earlier freeze on $2.2 billion in federal grants, citing Harvard's refusal to scrap diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programmes and screen students for ideological bias. Harvard filed a federal lawsuit, calling the move a "blatant violation" of free speech and due process. A judge temporarily blocked the ban, and the White House extended Harvard's deadline to contest the decision from 72 hours to 30 days.

Defending the crackdown, Trump told reporters, "Harvard has got to behave themselves," and floated a 15 per cent cap on non-US students. The administration has also accused Harvard of fostering antisemitism, campus unrest, and ties to the Chinese Communist Party, claims the university has firmly denied.

The State Department has ordered stricter vetting of all Harvard-bound individuals worldwide, including students and visitors. Visa officers, guided by Secretary Rubio, must review social media and can deny visas for limited or private online activity.

"If you are coming here to create problems, you're probably going to have a problem," Rubio said at a press briefing last month. Rubio also revealed that he has revoked hundreds, possibly thousands, of visas over concerns that individuals were engaged in behaviour contrary to US foreign policy.