Harvard student reacts to Trump’s politics in final speech

Hardly any name represents the academic life in the USA as much as Harvard at home and abroad. And no other university is more in the focus of US President Donald Trump, whose government of the university has deleted financial resources. In addition, international students should no longer be allowed to study there.

These recent developments were like dark clouds about the celebrations of the final year 2025. And of course Jiang Yurong’s appearance was also eagerly awaited, who was allowed to keep the final speech as a representative of her year. On top of that, the student herself has Chinese roots. Yurong did not go into Trump directly in her speech, but her words were also a clear appeal to the president and the government.

Yurong, who studied international development, emphasized how important it was for her to get to know people from many different countries and cultures through studying: “Countries that I only knew as colorful forms on maps became real people.” This gave global challenges a personal dimension.

However, the networked world is increasingly suffering from “division, fear and conflicts”. “We start to believe that people who think differently, choose differently or pray differently – whether they live on the other side of the ocean or sit right next to us – are not just wrong. We are incorrectly regarded as evil,” said Yurong in her speech. She asked her fellow students to capture the “common humanity” and recalled that the supposed enemies were also people.

More than half of the Harvard graduates did not come from the USA.

Even if she did not address the current conflicts with the Trump government, she thought of it in her speech, the 25-year-old later told the AP news agency. The government’s threats would have unsettled them and clouded their eyes into the future after completing their studies. “Everything is currently hanging in the air,” said the graduate with a view to her professional and personal plans. Actually, she intended to stay in the United States for a few years – but she is certainly no longer.

Donald Trump describes Harvard as “anti-Semitic, left-wing extremist institution” and justifies this with pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campus since the beginning of the Gaza war. The US government has therefore deleted federal grants in billions of billions for the elite university and, according to its own statements, plans to reduce all remaining federal funds.

Harvard should also no longer be allowed to record foreign students. Students already enrolled should change university or lose their residence permit. A federal judge has initially suspended the ban.

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