The title of the OP, is a narrative that uses the lack of interest in STEM programs as justification for defunding those programs, going forward.
Right now, Harvard has been targeted for very public defunding, by withdrawal of Federal grants. The bill working it’s way through Congress has a provision to tax private university income from their endowments at up to 20%.
More broadly, the stated goal of closing the Dept of Education, implies the funding distributed by that department would end.
Some states don’t want to fund education either. I have posted before how many public school districts have defunded classes like auto shop, and how the state of Michigan has cut it’s funding of universities.
I understand the purity of the position that education, and everything else, should be rationed purely by the ability of the individual to pay his way. The reality is that, a lot of people are paid so little for their labor, that, if they paid full boat for everything, a lot of things, like education, would be foregone.
Steve