President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday directing the elimination of the U.S. Department of Education, taking the first step toward fulfilling a longstanding conservative goal of returning education control to states, local governments, and parents.
The move is largely symbolic for now, as dismantling the department entirely would require congressional approval. However, the executive order signals Trump’s commitment to reducing federal influence in education—a pillar of his 2024 presidential campaign.
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Speaking with Fox News host Harris Faulkner, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the decision, calling it a rescue effort for America’s education system.
“President Trump is not failing America’s children, he is saving America’s children,” Leavitt said. “This federal bureaucracy has taken more than $3 trillion from taxpayers since 1979, yet test scores in reading, writing, and math have declined.”
Leavitt also emphasized that the decision empowers local educators, parents, and teachers, arguing that federal regulations have only hindered student success.
The U.S. Department of Education, established in 1979, primarily distributes federal education funding, oversees student loan programs, and regulates services for students with disabilities, low-income families, and homeless children.
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Critics of the department—many from conservative and Republican circles—have long argued that education decisions should be made at the state and local levels, rather than by Washington bureaucrats.
The executive order has already sparked major pushback, with twenty states and Washington, D.C., suing to block previous layoffs at the department. Democratic leaders and teachers’ unions have strongly condemned the move, arguing it would devastate public education by eliminating key federal programs.
Critics also point to ongoing concerns about national education performance, as student test scores remain below pre-pandemic levels, according to the 2024 Nation’s Report Card.
Trump’s executive order directs Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to begin the process of shutting down the department, although details remain unclear on how and when this would happen.
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“The Department of Education has never educated a child,” Leavitt argued. “All it has ever done is stolen money from taxpayers to create more regulations that hurt children’s education. Thank God President Trump is doing something about it.”
While Trump’s executive order lays the groundwork, the fate of the Education Department ultimately rests with Congress. The move will likely face legal challenges and strong opposition from Democratic lawmakers, making full dismantlement an uphill battle.
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