AsianFin -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday proposed a cap on the number of international students attending Harvard University, just days after his administration moved to halt the school’s ability to enroll foreign students.

“I think they should have a cap of maybe around 15%, not 31%,” Trump said at a press conference. “We have people who want to go to Harvard and other schools; they can’t get in because we have foreign students there.”

Harvard currently reports that international students account for 27.2% of total enrollment at its Cambridge, Massachusetts campus, according to its official website.

The president’s comments come on the heels of a State Department directive issued Tuesday that temporarily suspends new student visa appointments at U.S. embassies. Trump expressed concern over the background and intentions of foreign students, questioning whether some could pose risks to national security.

“Harvard has to show us their lists,” he said. “I want to make sure that the foreign students are people that can love our country. We don’t want to see shopping centers exploding. We don’t want to see the kind of riots that you had.”

The remarks and policy shift have drawn criticism from educators and international advocacy groups, who argue such actions could damage the global reputation of U.S. higher education and hinder scientific and cultural exchange.