White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt took a wild jab at Harvard University on Tuesday as the Trump administration continues to pile on its attacks, eyeing further ways to pull funding from the Ivy League institution. “The president is more interested in giving that taxpayer money to tr...

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt took a wild jab at Harvard University on Tuesday as the Trump administration continues to pile on its attacks, eyeing further ways to pull funding from the Ivy League institution.

“The president is more interested in giving that taxpayer money to trade schools and programs and state schools where they are promoting American values but, most importantly, educating the next generation based on skills that we need in our economy and our society,” she told Fox News’ Sean Hannity.

“Apprenticeships, 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,” she continued.

Moments earlier, Leavitt referred to the administration’s “common sense” policy toward funding Harvard before questioning why a university “pushing anti-American values” with a $53 billion endowment should receive taxpayer funds.

After the White House froze billions in federal funds and grants to the university last month, it’s now considering canceling all remaining federal contracts with the institution, The New York Times first reported Tuesday.

Harvard and the White House are locked in a legal battle that saw a federal judge on Friday block the Trump administration’s plan to bar the institution from enrolling foreign students.

The administration’s effort has sparked sharp criticism against the president among Harvard’s international student community.

President Donald Trump has recently toyed with the idea of college students taking on trades beyond their majors.

Earlier this month, he challenged University of Alabama graduates to not just use their “talents for financial speculation” but to also apply their skills toward “forging the steel and pouring the concrete of new American factories, plants, shipyards, and even cities which are going up all over our country.”

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." pic.twitter.com/IwSYVrZ1sJ

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 28, 2025 28, 2025</a></blockquote>","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Aaron Rupar","author_url":"https://twitter.com/atrupar","cache_age":86400,"description":"Leavitt: \"Electricians, plumbers -- we need more of those in our country, and less LGBTQ graduate majors from Harvard University. 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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." pic.twitter.com/IwSYVrZ1sJ

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 28, 2025

Social media users quickly clowned Leavitt’s comments.

Can we have Harvard grads and plumbers or is this a zero-sum thing? https://t.co/Nv7QT2gV63

— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) May 28, 2025

I thought people were free to decide for themselves what they want to do for a living. https://t.co/nCinfuD49l

— Julia Davis (@JuliaDavisNews) May 28, 2025

This weird talking point about all college graduates today being "woke" majors is so tired.

At my alma mater, 17 out of 33,514 students majored in "Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies," or 0.051%. Give this talking point up. https://t.co/i9nHJ0MI6t

— Hayden (@the_transit_guy) May 28, 2025

I can see why @PressSec thinks the world would be better off without Comms grads like ... @karolineleavitt. https://t.co/VBU6pT51SE

— emptywheel (check) (@emptywheel) May 28, 2025

What’s is a lgbtq graduate major?

— gotochelle 🇺🇸 (@gotochelle) May 28, 2025

Just wait till she finds out that electricians and plumbers can be GULP….GAY TOO!!!!! https://t.co/lYP7oruLA7

— Justin Martindale (@justmartindale) May 28, 2025

Beyond parody

— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) May 28, 2025

Defunding Harvard, which happens to be one of the top universities in the world for science and research, is where this administration is gonna completely lose their footing. MARK MY FUCKING WORDS. https://t.co/k0IE1nzmYT

— R Vizzle (@RickyFromMiami_) May 28, 2025

So these people want to divide us based on career choice now. Everyone has their own talents and aspirations. Do you know where open heart surgery and stints came from? Harvard. We need smart people and we need craftsmen, engineers and laborers. You do you! https://t.co/Cn0X6KqRIT

— soonergal (@soonergal4) May 28, 2025

Ah yes, because nothing screams “sound economic policy” like pitting queer Harvard grads against electricians. Spoiler: we can actually have both. But go off, Leavitt—tell us more about how diversity is scarier than a wiring shortage.

— JT (@escapeeJT) May 28, 2025