The Trump administration’s intensifying war with Harvard University has fueled a wave of speculation, including a widely circulated rumor that the feud stems from a personal slight: that Harvard rejected President Trump’s youngest son, Barron. But this theory has now been firmly debunked.
A spokesperson for former First Lady Melania Trump dismissed the claim outright. “Barron did not apply to Harvard,” said Nicholas Clemens, adding that “any assertion that he, or that anyone on his behalf, applied is completely false.”
The rumor, initially ignited online, suggested that Trump’s push to strip Harvard of federal funding was an act of retaliation over a supposed admissions snub. However, the facts don’t support the claim — Barron Trump is currently a student at New York University, having just completed his freshman year.
Meanwhile, the real battle between the Trump administration and Harvard is playing out not in private rumor mills but in federal courtrooms and government agencies. The administration has ordered federal departments to begin terminating all contracts with the Ivy League institution — contracts worth billions — citing Harvard’s refusal to comply with federal demands and what officials describe as a hostile environment toward Jewish students.
In a Truth Social post, Trump accused Harvard of being “very antisemitic” and floated the idea of reallocating its federal funds to trade schools across the country, which he framed as a more worthy investment for American taxpayers.
Adding fuel to the conflict, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem issued a scathing letter to Harvard leadership, revoking the university’s ability to enroll foreign students via the Student and Exchange Visitor Program.
Noem cited Harvard’s alleged refusal to provide critical student information and accused the institution of promoting pro-Hamas sympathies and harboring discriminatory DEI policies.
Harvard swiftly pushed back. On Friday, Judge Allison Burroughs issued a temporary restraining order preventing DHS from stripping the school’s certification to host international students. The case underscores the growing legal complexity and high stakes of the administration’s campaign.
Trump, undeterred, continues to press the issue. “We are still waiting for the Foreign Student Lists from Harvard,” he said in a follow-up post, implying the school may be shielding “radicalized lunatics” from scrutiny. He also took a swipe at the judiciary, claiming Harvard had secured a sympathetic judge — though he remained confident that “the Government will, in the end, WIN!”