During a March press conference, Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the federal administration’s actions in moving to deport Tufts University graduate student and Fulbright Scholar Rümeysa Öztürk. His remarks included the following, which I quote at length from the official transcript of his remarks because it provides a powerful statement of the administration’s view of the purpose of encouraging international students to study within the US.
Expertise, Credentials, and the Value of the University
It seems we can’t trust our own credentials or those that we provide to our students. Or perhaps it would be better to say that we have so much confidence
Constance C. Relihan
May 18, 2026
