'They can't add 2+2': Trump wildly claims Harvard students can’t even do remedial math

US President Donald Trump made a degrading remark about Harvard University after it slammed the administration with a lawsuit. He said his administration revoked Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students because some of them don’t have the basic math skills to attend an Ivy League university.

During a Friday afternoon press conference, Trump issued a scathing attack on Harvard after a reporter asked about Homeland Security's move to ban the university from accepting international students, which prompted the lawsuit.

'They can't add 2+2'

President Donald Trump rubbed salt on the wound of his recent Harvard student ban by claiming a “lot of them” can’t even do basic math. His petty comment came a day after he moved to bar foreign students from enrollment as part of his ongoing feud with the Ivy League school.

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“A lot of the people need remedial math,” Trump told reporters Friday in the Oval Office. “These students can’t add two and two, and they go to Harvard. They want remedial math and they’re going to teach remedial math at Harvard?”

Trump’s comments were made in reference to the school’s new introductory math course designed for students with foundational algebra skills. He asked how a group of people with “very basic skills” got admitted.

Trump also called the crew “troublemakers” and referenced the campus’ pro-Palestine protests.

“How can somebody that doesn’t have very basic skills … get into Harvard? Why are they there? And then you see the same people picketing and screaming at the United States and screaming at, you know, they’re very antisemitic,” the president said. “We don’t want troublemakers here.”

The president said that Harvard is teaching some of these students math at the elementary school level. “Remedial math. That’s basic math. That’s not the deal,” he said.

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Trump said Harvard will “have to change its ways” after his Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said it would take away the university’s ability to admit foreign students.

“Billions of dollars has been paid to Harvard. How ridiculous is that? Billions … Harvard’s going to have to change its ways,” Trump said. When asked if he is also looking at going after other schools’ ability to accept foreign students, as the DHS had floated a day earlier, Trump said, “We’re taking a look at a lot of things.”

Trump vs Harvard

A judge has issued a temporary restraining order blocking the Trump administration's plan to strip Harvard University of its ability to enrol foreign students. The ruling came after Harvard filed a lawsuit - the latest escalation of a dispute between the White House and one of America's most prestigious institutions.

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The university said the administration's decision on Thursday to bar international students was a "blatant violation" of the law and free speech rights.

The Trump administration says Harvard has not done enough to fight antisemitism, and change its hiring and admissions practices – allegations that the university has strongly denied.

The Department of Homeland Security told Harvard that it could no longer enroll international students, telling the university that thousands of current students must transfer elsewhere or leave the country entirely. Homeland Security said Harvard has created an unsafe campus environment by allowing “anti-American, pro-terrorist agitators” to assault Jewish students on campus. It also accused Harvard of coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party, saying it hosted and trained members of a Chinese paramilitary group in 2024.

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Donald Trump has intensified his criticism of Harvard University, focusing on its continued support for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and its handling of pro-Palestinian protests. He has recently escalated his campaign by threatening to revoke the university’s federal funding and tax-exempt status.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem echoed Trump’s concerns, accusing Harvard of "fostering violence, antisemitism, and collaborating with the Chinese Communist Party." As a result, the department revoked the university’s certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program.