WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order today to shut down the Department of Education, fulfilling a long-standing promise to dismantle the federal agency, the White House confirmed.
The order instructs Education Secretary Linda McMahon to initiate the department’s closure and transfer education authority back to the states, while ensuring that critical services and programs remain uninterrupted. Additionally, Trump’s directive mandates that department funds no longer support diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives or gender ideology programs.
Earlier this month, McMahon cut the agency’s workforce in half, calling the move a first step toward eliminating the department. During her Senate confirmation hearing, she pledged to work alongside Congress to advance Trump’s plan for dismantling the agency.
However, formally dissolving the department requires congressional approval. While Trump has expressed confidence in securing enough votes, his administration could still significantly weaken the department’s operations—similar to previous efforts with USAID—even without an official legislative shutdown.
The Department of Education had a $268 billion budget last year, representing just 4% of federal spending. While it does not control classroom curricula, the agency primarily functions as a funding and civil rights enforcement body, distributing aid to schools with high poverty rates, supporting students with disabilities, and overseeing public student loan programs.
The executive order marks a major shift in federal education policy, setting the stage for state-led governance and a potential overhaul of the nation’s education funding system.
