Decades-long suspicion of elite universities has evolved under President Trump into a full-scale war – punctuated this week by curbs on the flow of international students to Harvard.

The Trump administration’s sudden move to bar foreign students at Harvard University is seen as dealing a blow to the US’s standing in business — and handing an advantage to elite rival colleges across the English-speaking world.

The Trump administration’s moves against Harvard, including a halt on international enrollment, hint at a wider effort that could reshape university funding nationwide.