President Takes Major Step Toward Fulfilling Campaign Promise to Dismantle Federal Education Agency
In a dramatic move that fulfills one of his key campaign pledges, President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday aimed at “eliminating” the U.S. Department of Education, marking a significant victory for conservatives who have long sought to return education authority to the states.
During a ceremonial signing in the East Room of the White House, surrounded by schoolchildren seated at desks, Trump proudly displayed the signed order and declared his intentions.
“We’re going to shut it down and shut it down as quickly as possible. It’s doing us no good,” Trump said. “We’re going to return education back to the states where it belongs.”
While the complete dissolution of the department, established in 1979, would require congressional approval, the executive order empowers the administration to significantly reduce its funding, staffing, and operational capacity.
Implementation and timeline
The executive order directs Education Secretary Linda McMahon to “take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return education authority to the States.”
McMahon, the former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment who was appointed to lead the department she is now tasked with dismantling, has already moved to reduce the department’s staff by half since being sworn in earlier this month.
“Hopefully she will be our last secretary of education,” Trump remarked during the signing ceremony.
McMahon later told reporters that the president “wants to get those dollars back to the states without the bureaucracy of Washington.”
Political reactions divided along party lines
Republican governors, including Ron DeSantis of Florida and Greg Abbott of Texas, attended the White House ceremony, signaling strong support from conservative state leaders who have advocated for greater local control of education.
The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank whose “Project 2025” recommendations have influenced several Trump administration policies, celebrated the move on social media, writing: “It’s a beautiful day to dismantle the Department of Education.”
Democratic leaders, however, responded with alarm. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer characterized the action as a “tyrannical power grab” and “one of the most destructive and devastating steps Donald Trump has ever taken.”
Implications for federal education role
While the federal government traditionally provides only about 13 percent of funding for primary and secondary schools nationwide, education advocates note that these resources are crucial for low-income districts and students with special needs.
The White House has indicated that some “critical functions” would remain, including administration of certain loans and grants for low-income students, though Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that “the Department of Education will be much smaller than it is today.”
Critics emphasize that beyond funding, the federal government has played an essential role in enforcing civil rights protections for students across the country.
Part of broader government restructuring
This move follows a pattern of significant government restructuring under Trump’s second administration. Several agencies already face substantial cuts to programs and personnel under the guidance of tech entrepreneur Elon Musk and his Department for Government Efficiency (DOGE).
A federal judge recently halted a similar attempt to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development, ruling that the initiative likely violated constitutional principles.
As implementation of the education order begins, legal challenges are anticipated, even as the administration moves forward with what appears to be the most substantial restructuring of federal education authority in more than four decades.