'Need more electricians, plumbers and less LGBTQ graduates': White House doubles down on Harvard

As tensions between the Trump administration and Harvard University continue to escalate, the White House has once again criticised the Ivy League institution and reaffirmed the administration's push to redirect federal funding toward vocational education.

In an interview with Fox News, Leavitt doubled down on the White House’s stance that American taxpayers should not be subsidizing universities that, in her words, “push anti-American values.”

“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.

"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 added.

Leavitt directly questioned the fairness of federal funds flowing to Harvard, which currently boasts an endowment exceeding $53 billion—larger than the GDP of several small countries.

“Why should a university with a $53 billion endowment that pushes anti-American values continue to receive taxpayer funding?” she asked, implying that the institution's ideological orientation has drifted too far from what the administration views as foundational American principles.

The sharp remarks by Leavitt come as the US government intends to cancel all remaining financial contracts with Harvard, worth over USD 100 million.

Trump vowed Monday to prevail in his clash with Harvard and again threatened to take away billions in funding from one of the world's top universities.

"I am considering taking Three Billion Dollars of Grant Money away from a very antisemitic Harvard, and giving it to TRADE SCHOOLS all across our land," Trump said, without giving details, in one of a flurry of texts on Monday, the Memorial Day holiday in the US.

A day later, the US State Department ordered the suspension of student visa processing.

Trump's administration is seeking unprecedented control of the nation's universities, taking particular aim at foreign students by revoking visas and deporting some of those involved in protests against the war in Gaza.