"Real Issue Is...": Shark Tank Judge Jabs Donald Trump Over Harvard Ban

Shaadi.com CEO Anupam Mittal took a jibe at Donald Trump over his crackdown on Harvard University, saying the "real issue" was that the US President couldn't get into an Ivy League school.

"I bet the real issue is that Trump couldn't get into Harvard," Mr Mittal wrote on X.

I bet the real issue is that Trump couldn't get into @Harvard ????

— Anupam Mittal (@AnupamMittal) May 29, 2025

The Shark Tank India judge's scathing criticism came a day after US District Judge Allison Burroughs extended the temporary order blocking the Trump administration from revoking the prestigious institution's ability to enrol foreign students.

Harvard sued the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) after its Secretary Kristi Noem sent a letter asking the institution to comply with the administration's orders.

As Mr Mittal's went viral on X, several users shared their views, with some claiming that the Republican leader was at loggerheads with Harvard because the institution reportedly did not accept his youngest son Barron Trump.

However, US First Lady Melania Trump put these rumours to rest, calling them "completely false". She insisted her son had never applied to Harvard.

"Barron did not apply to Harvard and any assertion that he, or that anyone on his behalf, applied is completely false," Nicholas Clemens, Melania Trump's communications director, said in a statement.

On Thursday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement director Todd Lyons sent a letter to the country's oldest and richest institution, saying it had 30 days to respond to allegations such as fostering anti-semitism and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party.

Harvard, in its lawsuit, claimed the DHS did not follow administrative procedures and failed to offer a 30-day window to respond.

In a court filing, the institution's director of immigration services, Maureen Martin, said that an atmosphere of "profound fear, concern, and confusion" has been witnessed due to the Trump administration's efforts to stop foreign students' enrollment.

The official added that domestic students also showed interest in transfer and deferring, for they felt their experience would not remain the same without an international student body.

The US administration is seeking several changes in Harvard's governance to align it with Donald Trump's vision. These demands have been rejected by the institution.