Donald Trump has ordered that the Department of Education be shut down, fulfilling a goal he set for this year.
Trump signed the order surrounded by children. Credit: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images
The President signed an executive order on Thursday directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to begin the process, per Vanity Fair.
This decision aligns with Trump‘s longstanding goal to reduce federal oversight in education and shift control back to states and local communities.
The executive order acknowledges that while the President cannot unilaterally abolish the Department—since such an action requires Congressional approval—it instructs Secretary McMahon to take all legally permissible steps to facilitate its closure.
This includes potentially redistributing certain functions to other government entities and implementing significant staffing and program reductions.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt assured that essential services, such as student loans and Pell Grants, would remain operational during this transition.
However, the specifics of how these functions will be managed in the absence of a centralized Department remain unclear.
This executive order follows a series of substantial cuts within the Department. Starting in early February, numerous officials were placed on leave as diversity, equity, and inclusion programs were eliminated.
The reductions continued with a 50% workforce decrease in March, aiming to “restore the greatness of the United States education system.”
Prior to these layoffs, the Department had offered up to $25,000 in cash incentives for voluntary resignations, signaling a strategic move to downsize the federal education bureaucracy.
President Trump‘s criticism of the Department of Education is not new.
In a December interview with Time magazine, he called for “a virtual closure of [the] Department of Education in Washington,” emphasizing his desire to return educational control to the states, per PEOPLE.
He stated: “Well, you’re going to need some people just to make sure they’re teaching English in the schools. Okay, you know English and mathematics, let’s say. But we want to move education back to the states.”
The roots of this initiative can be traced back to Project 2025, a comprehensive manifesto from a Trump-aligned think tank that outlines plans for reducing federal involvement in various sectors, including education.
While the President has publicly distanced himself from this document, the parallels between its recommendations and his recent actions are striking.
The appointment of Linda McMahon, co-founder of World Wrestling Entertainment, as Education Secretary was a clear indicator of this administration’s intent.
Upon her nomination, Trump praised her commitment to expanding school choice and empowering parents, stating: “We will send Education BACK TO THE STATES, and Linda will spearhead that effort.”
Her confirmation by the Senate on March 3, with a 51-45 vote along party lines, set the stage for the current restructuring efforts.
The move to dismantle the Department has ignited a fierce debate. Proponents argue that reducing federal oversight will lead to more localized and effective educational policies, tailored to the unique needs of individual states and communities, as reported by AP News.
However, critics contend that this could exacerbate existing disparities, particularly affecting low-income and marginalized students who rely on federal support and protections.
The National Education Association (NEA), representing millions of educators, has voiced strong opposition, fearing that such a move could undermine public education and widen the equity gap.
