The remarks by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt come as the Donald Trump administration plans to cancel federal contracts with Harvard worth $100 million.

White House secretary Karoline Leavitt
White House secretary Karoline Leavitt

Doubling down on its offensive against Harvard University, the White House has said taxpayers’ money should go to vocational and trade schools that train plumbers and electricians instead of the Ivy League institution.

The remarks by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt come as the Donald Trump administration plans to cancel federal contracts with Harvard worth $100 million.

Trump has also indicated that he might redirect the $3 billion in federal grants Harvard receives to trade schools nationwide. Such schools focus on imparting practical skills for specific trades or professions.

“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,” Leavitt told Fox News.

The press secretary also questioned why a university “pushing anti-American values” with a $53 billion endowment should receive taxpayer funds.

“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,” Leavitt further said.

The remark also brings into focus how Trump has moved swiftly to end policies protecting LGBTQ rights in his second term.

Following her remarks, Leavitt was roasted on social media for her wild jab.

“From now on, Trump can only hire plumbers and electricians to represent him in court,” one user remarked. Another commented, “Those LGBTQ graduate majors run most of Wall Street.”

A third said, “Just wait till she finds out that electricians and plumbers can be GULP… GAY TOO”.

The escalating tussle with Harvard comes as Trump has accused the university of being hotbeds of liberal bias and campus anti-Semitism.

In its latest move against Harvard, the Trump administration has directed all federal agencies to review and potentially terminate or reallocate their contracts with the university.

Last week, Harvard University was stripped of its ability to enrol foreign students, leaving thousands of Indian and foreign students in limbo. However, that order has been temporarily blocked by a Boston federal judge.