Fact-check analysisVerified as of July 16, 2025Curated by FactVerify
Mostly True

Trump does not support getting a college education instead he wants people to be and stay working class so he is only investing in trades and apprenticeships and taking away money for kids to go to traditional college and universities

Trump has emphasized investment in trade schools and apprenticeships and has proposed redirecting funds from traditional colleges, but he has not explicitly opposed college education overall.

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Source: factverify.com

At a glance

Key Evidence

Verified July 16, 2025
The reporting

What the Evidence Shows

The claim can be broken down into several components: 1) Trump does not support getting a college education; 2) he wants people to remain working class; 3) he is investing primarily in trades and apprenticeships; and 4) he is taking away money from traditional colleges and universities. Evidence shows that Trump has indeed promoted skilled trades and apprenticeships as a priority, signing orders to improve job training for skilled trades.washingtonpost.comwashingtonpost.comTrump administration uses college accreditation to pressure universities

He has publicly suggested redirecting federal funding from elite universities like Harvard to trade schools, arguing that investment in trades is "so badly needed". This indicates a policy preference for vocational training over some traditional higher education funding.

However, there is no direct evidence that Trump explicitly opposes college education as a whole or wants people to remain working class. His actions appear more focused on shifting funding priorities rather than eliminating support for traditional colleges entirely.

Additionally, some reports indicate changes and pressures on universities under his administration, including accreditation reforms and funding adjustments,reuters.comreuters.comTrump pushes training for skilled trades that do not require collegenytimes.comnytimes.comWhat Trump’s Big Bill Means for Colleges, Student Loans and Grants but these do not amount to a wholesale withdrawal of support for college education. The claim that he is "taking away money for kids to go to traditional college and universities" is partially supported by proposals to tax university endowments more heavily and restrict some grants,reuters.comreuters.comTrump considers redirecting $3 billion in Harvard grants to US trade schools but these are policy proposals with complex impacts rather than outright cuts solely aimed at harming college access.

Overall, the claim captures the essence of Trump's emphasis on trades over traditional college funding but overstates the extent to which he opposes college education or wants people to stay working class. The nuance is that Trump promotes vocational training as an alternative or complement rather than rejecting college education outright.

Primary trail

Verified Sources5

Trump pushes training for skilled trades that do not require college

reuters.com
Open source

Trump considers redirecting $3 billion in Harvard grants to US trade schools

reuters.com
Open source

Trump Joins Debate on the Value of a College Degree, Trade Schools

businessinsider.com
Open source
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