‘Need Electricians, Plumbers, Not LGBTQ Graduates’: White House’s Fresh Attack At Harvard

<p>The White House has intensified its stance against Harvard University, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defending the Trump administration&rsquo;s plan to cancel federal contracts worth $100 million with the Ivy League institution.</p>
<p>In her latest remarks, Leavitt said taxpayer money should instead be directed toward vocational and trade schools that train plumbers, electricians, and skilled laborers&mdash;rather than elite universities that promote what she described as &ldquo;anti-American values.&rdquo;</p>
<p>&ldquo;The President is more interested in giving that taxpayer money to trade schools, programs, and state universities where they are promoting American values and&mdash;most importantly&mdash;educating the next generation based on skills our economy and society actually need,&rdquo; Leavitt told Fox News.</p>
<p>She further questioned the justification of funding a university that boasts a $53 billion endowment, yet, in her view, promotes ideologies misaligned with American principles.</p>
<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet” data-media-max-width=”560″>
<p dir=”ltr” lang=”en”>Leavitt: “Electricians, plumbers — we need more of those in our country, and less LGBTQ graduate majors from Harvard University. And that’s what this administration’s position is.” <a href=”https://t.co/IwSYVrZ1sJ”>pic.twitter.com/IwSYVrZ1sJ</a></p>
&mdash; Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) <a href=”https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1927534822701826111?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>May 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
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<p>&ldquo;With such a massive endowment, it&rsquo;s fair to ask why a university promoting these values should rely on taxpayer dollars,&rdquo; she said.</p>
<p>Leavitt also took a swipe at niche academic programs, stating,&ldquo;This administration believes in prioritizing practical career paths&mdash;like apprenticeships for electricians and plumbers&mdash;over niche degrees such as LGBTQ graduate programs at elite universities like Harvard.&rdquo;</p>
<p>These remarks sparked backlash online. Many criticized Leavitt&rsquo;s comments as dismissive and exclusionary.</p>
<h3>Netizens reaction</h3>
<p>A user on X (formerly Twitter) quipped,&ldquo;From now on, Trump can only hire plumbers and electricians to represent him in court.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Another wrote,&ldquo;Those LGBTQ graduate majors run most of Wall Street.&rdquo;</p>
<p>And a third commented,&ldquo;Just wait till she finds out that plumbers and electricians can be&mdash;gulp&mdash;gay too.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The controversy comes amid a larger cultural and political clash between the Trump administration and elite academic institutions. Trump has accused Harvard of being a breeding ground for liberal bias and campus anti-Semitism.</p>
<h3>Ban on Foreign Students and Contract Reviews</h3>
<p>Last week, Harvard faced another blow when it was temporarily barred from enrolling international students, leaving thousands of foreign students, including many from India, in limbo. A federal judge in Boston has since issued a temporary injunction, halting the order&mdash;for now.</p>
<p>Following this, the Trump administration directed all federal agencies to review and potentially terminate or reassign their contracts with Harvard University. Trump has also floated the idea of redirecting $3 billion in federal grants received by Harvard to trade schools across the country.</p>
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<h3>Student Protests Erupt on Campus</h3>
<p>In response to the administration&rsquo;s actions, Harvard students staged a protest on Tuesday. Many expressed concern over the uncertain future of international classmates and faculty who now face the threat of deportation.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Our friends, peers, and professors are at risk,&rdquo; said one student protestor. &ldquo;This is not just a policy dispute&mdash;this is people&rsquo;s lives.&rdquo;</p>