Editor's Note: This story has been updated to include a statement from U.S. Senator Jon Husted.
Ohio State President Ted Carter was at the White House Monday to celebrate the Ohio State Buckeyes' National Championship win over Notre Dame and is expected to have private conversations with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
Ohio State University spokesman Ben Johnson is declining to say what Carter is discussing with Trump and Vance, but did say in an email a conversation between the three was likely. Carter was seated in the front row at a ceremony on the White House's south lawn next to entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, a Republican, who is running for Ohio governor.
In the past month, at least 11 international OSU students had their visas terminated by the Trump administration. OSU also lost thousands of dollars in grant funding from cuts by Elon Musk's Dept. of Govt. Efficiency.
Carter and OSU haven't publicly criticized the decision to terminate the visas, but have stated their support for the university's international student community at large.
The American Council on Education — which Ohio State University is part of — sent a letter to the Trump administration seeking "clarity" on the reasons why hundreds of international students had their paperwork terminated. The ACE also wrote about their support for international students.
“Over 1 million international students annually attend U.S. colleges and universities, yielding an estimated economic impact of $43.8 billion across the United States, as well as the creation of over 375,000 domestic jobs. They also contribute to institutions’ intellectual vibrancy and the global literacy of domestic students," the ACE wrote.
"Recent actions have contributed to uncertainty and impedes the ability of our institutions to best advise international students and scholars. It is important institutions are in a position to reassure international students so they can continue to make exceptional contributions to their campuses, communities, and the nation," the letter said.
Johnson said it would be inappropriate to say whether OSU believes these students should have their visas terminated because the reasons for the visa terminations aren't publicly known.
"Student information is private in accordance with federal law, and given the sensitive nature of this situation, it would be inappropriate to answer this question," Johnson said in a statement. "Remember, neither you nor I know why each visa was revoked. You cannot assume you know the reason, and you cannot assume each visa was revoked for the same reason."
The Trump administration has targeted multiple international students, revoking green cards and visas, because the students participated in protests against Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza.
WOSU has tried contacting the lawyers representing these students, but none have spoken publicly yet about why the U.S. government took this action.
Johnson said the university is providing resources to those international students.
U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno told WOSU in a statement Carter has not been in contact with his office about the decision. He said he is supportive of the actions taken by the Trump administration.
“I have not heard from a single university president asking me to investigate any specific case," Moreno said. "Students are invited to America to add value to our nation. We will not tolerate agitators who spew antisemitism, commit crimes, or undermine our country. I have full faith in our Secretary of State and our Secretary of Homeland Security to make decisions to protect our nation.”
And aide for U.S. Senator Jon Husted said in a statement he also hasn't heard from Carter.
“The senator believes keeping Americans and Ohioans safe is a fundamental responsibility of government. While our office has not heard from the Ohio State University on this issue, we stand ready to help any Ohioan who needs assistance with a federal agency," the statement said.
Johnson said the university does communicate with its federal representatives.
