Ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd slams Trump ban on foreign students at Harvard

Ambassador Kevin Rudd has hit out at the latest spray of Trump chaos that will hit Aussie students at an iconic American university.

Kevin Rudd has lambasted US President Donald Trump’s decision to block foreign students from enrolling at Harvard University, calling the move “distressing”.

The ban includes Australian students, who will be denied entry to the prestigious higher-education institution if Mr Trump’s move is put into effect.

“We are monitoring closely developments at Harvard University in relation to the administration’s statement this afternoon on the future enrolment of international students,” Mr Rudd said on Friday morning in a statement to X.

“I know this will be distressing for Harvard’s many Australian students.

“The embassy is working with the United States government to obtain the details of this decision so that Australian students can receive appropriate advice.

“We also intend to engage the administration more broadly on the impact of this decision for Australian students and their families both at Harvard and at other campuses across the United States.”

US Ambassador to the US and former prime minister Kevin Rudd responded to the Harvard ban on Friday morning. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

The Trump administration revoked Harvard’s right to take in international students on Thursday afternoon, local time.

“Effective immediately, Harvard University’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification is revoked,” Homeland Security secretary Kristi Noem wrote in a letter to the school.

The administration is waging war on Harvard over the university’s perceived failure to protect Jewish students on campus and its support for diversity, equity and inclusion policies.

“As I explained to you in my April letter, it is a privilege to enrol foreign students,” Ms Noem said.

“As a result of your refusal to comply with multiple requests to provide the Department of Homeland Security pertinent information while perpetuating an unsafe campus environment that is hostile to Jewish students, promotes pro-Hamas sympathies, and employs racist ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ policies, you have lost this privilege.”

Harvard University is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Picture: Harvard University

Harvard has slammed the move as “unlawful”.

“We are fully committed to maintaining Harvard’s ability to host our international students and scholars,” the university said in a statement.

Harvard, founded in the 17th century, is America’s leading university and counts former presidents FDR, John F Kennedy and Barack Obama as alumni.

Third Way executive Jim Kessler said the ban was driven by President Trump’s impulse for “vengeance”.

“He is just going after elite institutions,” he told Sky News on Friday morning.

“He just doesn’t like them. Vengeance is part of his make up and that is what we are seeing.”

Mr Kessler said the policy would likely spread to other universities across America.

“This is part of his cultural war that he is having in America,” he said.

“I don’t think this will work well for him but this is a problem for every elite college and university in America, not just Harvard.”

Originally published as Ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd slams Trump ban on foreign students at Harvard