President Donald Trump is moving forward with plans to abolish the Department of Education.
Trump is expected to sign an executive order following the campaign promise to disband the division, claiming the division is full of “extremists, enthusiasts and Marxists” on the campaign trail.
The White House fact sheet states that the move will “hand over education to families on behalf of bureaucrats.”
The directive comes after the Senate voted to ensure that former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Linda McMahon will lead the agency on March 3rd. Later that day, McMahon outlined her support for Trump administration’s departmental plans and announced that she would oversee “accountability in a new era.”
“The reality of our education system is harsh, and the American people have elected President Trump to make a big difference in Washington,” McMahon said in a March 3 memo. “Our job is to respect the will of the American people and the president they have chosen. They have entrusted us with achieving the elimination of bureaucratic bloats here at the Department of Education – promptly and responsibly.”
Education Secretary Linda McMahon appeared on the Senate Health, Education and Work Pension Committee for a confirmation hearing on February 13, 2025 (Getty Images)
Following reports that Trump planned to sign an executive order, the American Federation of Teachers issued a statement pleading with Congress to oppose the executive order, “not giving up that responsibility on all children, students and working families worthy of a future filled with promises and possibilities, not a diminished dream.”
The Teachers Union pointed to an NPR/PBS News/Marist poll conducted in February, finding that over 60% of Americans are “strongly against” the agency.
“The Department of Education, and the laws it is supposed to implement, have one primary purpose: leveling out the arenas to help all children in America succeed and meeting gaps in opportunity,” said President Randy Weingerten of the American Federation of Teachers on March 5. -But not all children. ”
Despite Trump’s orders, the president needs Congress to approve the eradication of the institution under Article II of the US Constitution. Such a measure would require 60 votes in the Senate, with only 53 Republicans currently.
Still, Congress has an appetite that removes the department. For example, R-Ky. Rep. Thomas Massie of the Ministry of Education had introduced measures to introduce the Ministry of Education on January 31st by December 2026.
A White House spokesman over reports that Trump will dissolve the education sector said, “I hope he will deliver.”
Rep. Thomas Massey, R-KY. , the Centre introduced measures to introduce the Ministry of Education on January 31 by December 2026 (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
“Unelected bureaucrats in Washington, DC should not be in charge of the intellectual and moral development of children,” Massey said in a Jan. 31 statement. “The state and local communities are best positioned to shape the curriculum that meets the needs of students. Schools should be accountable.”
Trump told reporters on February 4 that despite nominating McMahon to lead the Department of Education, he ultimately wanted to lose her job.
“What I want to do is have the state run the school,” Trump said on Feb. 4.
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White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt, depicted here, shows that Americans can count on being able to request Trump’s campaign promises. (Evan Vucci/AP)
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also shows that Americans can rely on Trump to move forward with such a plan to break up the department.
“President Trump campaigns that promise and I think Americans can hope that he will make it happen,” Levitt told Stuart Varney on “Varney & Co.” February 4th.
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Founded in 1980, the Department of Education seeks to coordinate federal education programs and support state and local school systems, according to its website. The agency received a budget of $79.1 billion in 2024.
“They said they want to reduce the swamp of government education, stop taxpayer dollar abuse, and inculcate all sorts of things they don’t want to hear young people,” Trump said at a rally in September 2024.
Critics from the Ministry of Education pointed out the “Nation’s Report Card,” which released the 2024 National Assessment (NAEP) of 2024 Educational Progress (NAEP), which was released on January 27th.
“In the report card language, D- was now F,” former education secretary Betsy DeVos wrote in Fox News Digital’s February 5 OP-ED.
Former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said that when it comes to education that prioritizes students in Fox News Digital’s OP-ED, the US needs a “complete reset.” (Jim Watson)
As a result, the US needs a “complete reset” that prioritizes students, she said. This starts with the Ministry of Education closing the Ministry of Education, an institution that focuses on diversity, equity and inclusion obligations rather than the foundation of education, she said.
Meanwhile, Democrats pressed the Department of Education on details of the future in February amid concerns that the Trump administration would shut down agencies.
“We do not allow this to happen to students, parents, borrowers, educators and communities across the country,” the lawmaker wrote in a letter to Education Secretary Dennis Carter.
Kayla Bailey of Associated Press and Fox News contributed to this report. This is a broken story. Please check for updates.
Diana Stancy is a political reporter for Fox News Digital, covering the White House.
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