Haven or source of volatility?

America's role as the world's number one destination for capital and talent faces its biggest test in decades as Trump's unconventional policymaking and strong-arm tactics threaten to transform the nation from a source of stability into a driver of volatility.

- WILSON SY

Trump targets Harvard The Trump administration's revocation of Harvard University's certification to enroll international students has ignited concerns whether the US remains a reliable haven for global investment and innovation. The move affects nearly 7,000 foreign students at the Ivy League institution and signals a broader retreat from policies that have underpinned American economic dominance since World War II.

Immigration crackdown threatens innovation pipeline The Harvard action comes as the US competes with China for leadership in artificial intelligence, quantum computing and next generation technologies — fields where top talent represents a finite strategic asset. More than 60 percent of AI PhDs in the US are foreign-born, and international students account for nearly 80 percent of full-time graduate students in key STEM fields, according to the National Science Foundation.

"It would be devastating not just for the university but for the image of the United States in the world," former US State Secretary and Harvard president emeritus Lawrence Summers told Politico. "It would make us poorer as we lose a major source of entrepreneurship."