Trump Takes Steps to Shut Down Education Department
President Donald Trump has taken a bold step toward a long-standing conservative objective by signing an order to start dismantling the federal Department of Education. This action, aimed at shifting education control back to the states, reflects a desire to reduce the federal government’s role in schools.
The signing took place during a ceremony in the White House’s East Room, where Trump was joined by schoolchildren and prominent Republican figures, including Governors Ron DeSantis of Florida and Greg Abbott of Texas. With a smile, Trump signed the order, marking the beginning of what he calls a necessary change.
“The federal Department of Education is doing us no good,” Trump declared. “We’re going to return education back to the states where it belongs.”
Created in 1979, the Department of Education requires Congress’s approval to be fully eliminated. However, Trump’s order can still weaken it by cutting funds and staff in the meantime.
The order tasks Education Secretary Linda McMahon, previously the CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, with managing the department’s closure and transferring its duties to the states. McMahon, who has already reduced the department’s workforce by half since taking office, said the plan is to cut through Washington’s red tape and send resources directly to the states.
Opposition has been swift and strong. Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer labeled the move a “tyrannical power grab,” warning it could undermine education quality and protections for students.
Trump justifies the decision by arguing it will save money and raise educational standards, which he says fall behind those in Europe and China. Yet, education has long been a divisive issue in America, with Republicans pushing to free it from federal oversight.
A Symbolic Choice and Broader Agenda
Trump’s selection of McMahon as Education Secretary hinted at the department’s fate from the start. At the ceremony, he even suggested she might be the last to hold the position. McMahon has echoed Trump’s vision, focusing on slashing bureaucracy to empower states financially.
This move fulfills a promise Trump made during his campaign, mirroring the decentralization seen in recent abortion rights policies. It’s also part of a larger effort, backed by tech billionaire Elon Musk, to shrink the federal government. Together, they’ve already downsized other agencies, though a federal judge recently stopped a similar attempt to dismantle the US Agency for International Development, citing constitutional issues.
What’s Next for Education?
While the department might not vanish entirely, its role will shrink dramatically, possibly limited to handling student loans and grants for low-income students. The White House has indicated that some “critical functions” will likely remain.
Conservative organizations, like the Heritage Foundation, have cheered the decision. They see it as a win for their “Project 2025” goals, with one statement calling it “a beautiful day” for education reform.
Historically, the federal government supplies only about 13% of funding for primary and secondary schools, with states and local communities covering the rest. Still, federal support has been critical for low-income schools, students with special needs, and upholding civil rights protections—areas critics fear could suffer under this plan.
Trump’s latest order signals a major shift in how education might be governed, but its full impact hinges on Congress and potential legal challenges ahead. For now, the debate over federal versus state control of schools is heating up once again.