President Donald Trump is preparing to sign an executive order instructing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to begin dismantling the Department of Education, advancing a long-held conservative objective to transfer educational authority to state governments. The White House confirmed the move, signaling a major push to limit federal oversight in education.
Trump’s order, according to Fox News, directs McMahon to take immediate steps toward shutting down the department while ensuring the continuity of essential programs and services during the transition. However, permanently dissolving the agency requires congressional approval, a significant legislative hurdle that past Republican administrations have failed to overcome.
A White House fact sheet states that the move will “turn over education to families instead of bureaucracies. Trump and proponents of eliminating the department have long said the agency has failed American students.
“NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) scores reveal a national crisis — our children are falling behind,” Harrison Fields, the White House principal deputy press secretary, told Fox News. “Over the past four years, Democrats have allowed millions of illegal minors into the country, straining school resources and diverting focus from American students.”
“Coupled with the rise of anti-American CRT and DEI indoctrination, this is harming our most vulnerable,” he added. “President Trump’s executive order to expand educational opportunities will empower parents, states, and communities to take control and improve outcomes for all students.”
The directive comes after the Senate voted to confirm Linda McMahon, former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), to lead the agency on March 3. McMahon issued a memo later that day outlining her support for the Trump administration’s plans for the department and that she would oversee a “new era of accountability” in the agency’s final days.
The Education Department, established in 1979 under President Jimmy Carter, primarily serves as a funding body and civil rights enforcement agency rather than a policymaking entity. It manages billions in funding for low-income school districts, special education programs, and the federal student loan system. McMahon has already cut the department’s workforce in half, framing the reductions as a necessary step toward its closure. In a recent email to staff, she emphasized the goal of eliminating bureaucratic inefficiencies and shifting control over education back to states and families, explained NBC News.
The plan has triggered strong opposition from Democrats and education advocates, who argue that shutting down the department could weaken protections for students and destabilize public education. Senator Patty Murray warned that the move could result in students losing access to special education services, teacher layoffs, and financial aid cuts that would make college less affordable. A coalition of 21 Democratic attorneys general has already filed a lawsuit challenging the legality of Trump’s order, asserting that the executive branch lacks the authority to dismantle a congressionally established agency.
Trump has long championed shifting education decisions to the state level, contending that Washington should not dictate school policies. On the campaign trail, he has framed his initiative as a way to empower parents and local officials. While his executive order represents a major step in that direction, the legal and political battles ahead suggest that the future of the Education Department will ultimately be decided by Congress and the courts, setting up a prolonged fight over federal involvement in American education.
