Trump plans executive order to dismantle Education Department—what it means
Can the Education Department be dismantled?
President Donald Trump has said he wants his new education chief, Linda McMahon, to "put herself out of a job" and close the Education Department. LiveNOW from FOX host Josh Breslow spoke to Aron Boxer, THE CEO of Diversified Education Services (DES) and Head Executive Functioning Coach on what happens next.
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order Thursday aimed at dismantling the U.S. Department of Education and shifting control back to the states, a White House official told the Associated Press on Wednesday.
The plan aligns with a longstanding conservative push to eliminate the department, which critics say wastes taxpayer money and injects federal oversight into state-controlled education. However, Congress would ultimately need to approve the department’s full closure, raising uncertainty about how far Trump’s order can go.
What Trump’s order aims to do
The backstory:
Trump’s executive order directs Education Secretary Linda McMahon to begin phasing out the department’s responsibilities while ensuring the continuation of critical services.
A White House fact sheet states that McMahon must take "all necessary steps" to close the department while maintaining programs Americans rely on, though specifics remain unclear.
The Trump administration has already been reducing the department’s workforce, cutting the Office for Civil Rights and Institute of Education Sciences, which tracks national academic progress.
How would education funding be affected?
By the numbers:
That federal funding plays a crucial role in supporting vulnerable students, from low-income families to those experiencing homelessness. If the Education Department is dismantled, it remains unclear how—or if—these essential programs will be maintained.
- The Department of Education oversees $1.6 trillion in federal student loans.
- Only 14% of public school funding comes from the federal government, but much of it supports programs for low-income and vulnerable students.
- College funding would face greater disruption, as many universities depend on federal grants and financial aid programs.
While Trump has called the department a wasteful bureaucracy, critics argue its closure could leave millions of students without essential support, including Title I aid for low-income schools and the McKinney-Vento program for homeless students.
Why conservatives want to eliminate the Education Department
The other side:
Republicans have long pushed to eliminate the agency, arguing that states should control education without federal interference.
Trump’s 2024 platform promised to "send the department back to the states, where it belongs." He has repeatedly criticized the agency as being run by "radicals, zealots, and Marxists" imposing progressive policies.
President Donald J. Trump speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the White House, seated next to Linda McMahon, then-administrator of the Small Business Administration, on Oct. 17, 2018, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
At the same time, Trump has relied on the Education Department to push his agenda, threatening to pull federal funding from schools and universities over:
- Transgender athletes in women’s sports
- Pro-Palestinian activism on campuses
- Diversity, equity, and inclusion programs
Could Trump actually shut down the Education Department?
Big picture view:
Despite Trump’s order, fully dismantling the Education Department requires Congress, which created the agency in 1979.
Even some of Trump’s allies have questioned his authority to close the department unilaterally. A 2023 House vote to eliminate the agency failed when 60 Republicans joined Democrats to oppose it.
Trump’s former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos attempted to cut the department’s budget and restructure K-12 funding, but Congress rejected the plan, including opposition from some Republicans.
What's next:
Trump’s order sets up a political fight over the future of the Education Department. While its elimination remains unlikely without legislative approval, the administration is already shrinking its workforce and shifting responsibilities.
The move could become a major issue in upcoming elections, as both conservative parents’ groups and public school advocates weigh in on the debate.
The Source: This story was reported from Los Angeles. It is based on The Associated Press, which first reported on Trump’s executive order and the broader political fight over the Education Department’s future.