BASEL, Switzerland (AP) — Most contestants at the

Citing campus protests against Israel as proof of “antisemitic violence and harassment,” the Trump administration has demanded that Harvard make broad leadership changes, revise its admissions policies, and audit its faculty and student body to ensure the campus is home to many viewpoints.Harvard President Alan Garber disputed the government’s allegations, saying in a letter this month that the school is nonpartisan and has taken steps to root out antisemitism on campus. He insisted that Harvard is in compliance with the law, calling the federal sanctions an “unlawful attempt to control fundamental aspects of our university’s operations.”

Students walk through Harvard Yard during commencement ceremonies at Harvard University, Thursday, May 29, 2025, in Cambridge, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)Students walk through Harvard Yard during commencement ceremonies at Harvard University, Thursday, May 29, 2025, in Cambridge, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)In response to the administration’s threats, Harvard has sued to block the funding freeze and persuaded a federal judge to temporarily halt the ban on enrolling international students. During a hearing in Boston on Thursday, the judge extended her order blocking the ban.

Nicholas Burns, a career diplomat who served as the U.S. ambassador to China from 2021 to 2025 and now teachers at the university, said “Harvard can’t be Harvard without its international students.”“There’s a lot of collective pride at the university about who we are and the decisions we’ve made, and obviously what we want to do is make sure that international students can return to Harvard, can stay at Harvard this summer and return in September,” Burns said, adding that it is important for American students to study alongside their international peers.

Garber didn’t directly touch on the Trump administration threats Thursday. But he did get a rousing applause when he referenced the university’s global reach, noting that it is “just as it should be.”

Other speakers were more direct. Speaking in Latin, salutatorian Aidan Robert Scully delivered a speech laced with references to Trump policies.Women’s rights activists celebrate outside the Supreme Court to challenge gender recognition laws, in London, Wednesday, April 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

As in other countries, the issue has polarized opinion, pitting transgender rights campaigners against “gender critical” feminists, who argue that trans women’s rights should not come at the expense of those who are born biologically female.For Women Scotland said it was “absolutely jubilant” at the ruling. “Harry Potter” author

, a prominent supporter of the group, said the court victory had “protected the rights of women and girls across the U.K.”But LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall said there is “deep concern” surrounding the ruling’s consequences.