President Donald Trump stood firm on his vow to strip prestigious universities of federal funding until they rectified their issues, and it appears that Trump's pressure on Harvard University will ultimately result in yet another victory on the higher education front for the administration.

According to the New York Post, President Trump announced earlier this week a "tentative" deal that will likely result in the administration unfreezing $2.4 billion in currently frozen federal grants -- money the school presumably desperately wants access to. 

Trump and his administration had originally gone after Harvard and other top-tier schools for discrimination against Jewish students and the use of race-based affirmative action.

Harvard University has reportedly agreed to invest a staggering $500 million into launching trade schools, which the president was quite thrilled with.

What's going on?

Trump revealed the good news this week, cheering the idea of Harvard launching a trade school network, which could reportedly be a massive part of the university.

“This would be a giant trade school, or series of trade schools. It would be run by Harvard," the president told reporters this week.

NEWS: Trump tells me that they are close to a deal with Harvard that would require the Ivy League university to pay $500 million towards opening and operating trade schools. @DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/5XRTNlr76Q

— Reagan Reese (@reaganreese_) September 30, 2025

Trump said if Harvard pulls it off and actually launches a trade school, all of its "sins are forgiven."

"Now, this is something that we’re close to finalizing. We haven’t done it yet, but they’d put up $500 million. Interest and everything else will go to that account, meaning, go to the trade school. And you know, it’s a big investment in trade schools done by very smart people, and then their sins are forgiven," President Trump said.

"I guess we reached a deal with Harvard today,” Trump Education Secretary Linda McMahon said. "All you have to do is paper it, right Linda?”

Social media reacts

Users across social media reacted to Trump's Harvard trade school announcement.

"But isn't that exactly what they've been doing for the last few years? Training PhD baristas, warehouse stockers, etc?" one X user wrote.

Another X user wrote, "Just give trade schools the money instead of funding 1 cent to Harvard."

It'll be interesting to see if Harvard actually follows through and, if so, how an Ivy League trade school will be received.