President Donald Trump said Tuesday that his administration has reached a deal with Harvard University after months of negotiations.
"I guess we reached a deal with Harvard today, so we'll see how that — all you have to do is paper it, right, Linda?" Trump told Education Secretary Linda McMahon at an executive order signing ceremony in the Oval Office.
"Yes, sir," McMahon responded.
The school would contribute $500 million to establish and operate a nationwide network of trade schools focused on artificial intelligence, engineering, and other technical skills.
Trump emphasized the importance of revitalizing vocational education to meet the growing demand for skilled workers as new manufacturing plants — including automotive and AI-driven industries — open across the United States.
"We used to have a lot of trade schools in this country," he said. "We don’t anymore."
Trump noted that many students with hands-on skills "ended up doing better" than their academically stronger peers.
The planned initiative, still in its final stages, would see Harvard fund and run the trade programs, with Trump saying the investment would "forgive their sins" — a possible reference to previous controversies involving the university.
"It’s a big investment in trade schools done by very smart people," he said, adding that the move is also expected to support companies relocating operations to the U.S. to avoid tariffs.
Reuters contributed to this report.