Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick sharply criticized former President Barack Obama's economic policies during an appearance on "The Alex Marlow Show" on Saturday, accusing them of devastating America's working class by prioritizing worthless liberal arts degrees over vocational trades.
Lutnick, speaking candidly, described the impact of Obama's approach: "What it did was it broke people's spirit. Because when I grew up, I had shop class, and there were kids who liked working with their hands."
According to Lutnick, Obama and his administration convinced an entire generation that success required overpriced college degrees in fields like gender studies and critical race theory, leaving millions of Americans burdened with student debt and unmarketable skills.
This disdain for skilled trades from coastal elites, who value philosophy degrees over the tradesmen maintaining infrastructure, contributed to President Trump's decisive victory in 2024, Lutnick argued, as working Americans rejected being looked down upon.
Under Obama's tenure, shop classes vanished from schools as administrators directed students toward four-year universities, resulting in crushing debt while good-paying jobs in manufacturing, construction, and skilled trades remained unfilled.
In contrast, Lutnick highlighted the current efforts under President Trump's second term to restore dignity to American workers and rebuild the manufacturing sector that he claims Obama sought to dismantle.
