The nation expects an executive order from President Donald Trump to dismantle the Department of Education, but Democrats in New York have sparked debate over its legality. The White House says cutting down wasteful government funds is “not a crime in court.”
Senator Kristen Gillibrand, DN.Y., and DN.Y. Governor Kathy Hochul held a press conference at Manhattan public schools this week to “illegal” and “unconstitutional” plans for the education sector. I called it. The White House said Democrats are “gaslighting” Americans.
“I learned earlier this week that the Trump administration was drafting an executive order to close the Department of Education,” Gilibrand said on Sunday. “This will put thousands of New York jobs and billions of dollars of federal funds at risk for New York children, teachers, families and schools. Fight for our school.”
Democrats began another week of Trump’s second term in protest of government efficiency as Trump is expected to take steps to reimburse the Department of Education this month. The Trump administration rejected the protest in November, saying it was “trying to recover from their embarrassing losses.”
Maxine Waters, House Dem was ripped for clashes with “no?” security guard at the education department
Gov. Kathy Hochul spoke about gun violence at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York City on September 23, 2024. (Alex Kent/Getty Images)
“The Democrats have no plans on how to recover from embarrassing losses, which shows. Doge’s widely supported mission, waste, fraud, abuse, and the hard-earning of American taxpayers. To be a dollar might be a crime for Democrats, but it’s not a crime in court,” spokesperson Harrison Fields told Fox News Digital in a statement.
Democrats say the children are in teacherless classrooms.
Gillibrand reminded New Yorkers on Sunday that dismantling the Department of Education requires Congressional approval.
“What he’s doing is illegal. It’s illegal. It’s unconstitutional and it’s illegal. Congress is the only organization that determines how New Yorkers spend taxpayer dollars they send to Washington. So it’s unconstitutional.”
Senator Kristen Gillibrand and Gov. Kathy Hochul called Trump’s plans in the education sector “illegal” and “unconstitutional.” (Getty/Istock)
Hochul warned New Yorkers that if Trump shuts down the Department of Education they would pick up the tab.
“The biggest part of your local property tax bill is your school tax,” Hochul said. “If that money evaporates from the federal government, where will they go? This will conflict with homeowners and businesses, and I want them to be aware of this outcome.”
Students board a school bus in Manhattan’s East Village, New York City. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
Hochul said the Department of Education’s rebates are federal funding programs that help low-income students pay colleges, as well as New York City public schools that offer free breakfast, lunch and after-school meals to students. He said he could reject federal funding programs that support nutrition programs. Hochul urged New York Republicans to speak up in Washington for New York public school students.
“This is rage,” Gilibrand added. “The Trump administration is stealing money from children, teachers and schools. These are New York taxes.”
House Democrats were prevented from joining the Washington, DC Department of Education on February 7, 2025 (Fox News)
New York Democrats said shutting down the Department of Education could cost 2.6 million New York students about $1 billion a year.
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Hochul and Gillibrand will join the growing coalition of Democrats speaking out against Trump’s education plans. Democrats protested outside the Washington, D.C. Department of Education on Friday, demanding deputy education secretary Dennis Carter and the audience. Carter keeps Linda McMahon’s seat warm during the Senate confirmation process.
Deirdre Heavey is a political writer for Fox News Digital.
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