President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education.
The move, which aligns with Trump’s long-standing goal of diminishing federal control over education, is expected to face significant legal challenges and may require Congressional approval to take full effect.
Trump has frequently expressed his desire to cut back or completely eliminate the Department of Education, dating back to his initial presidential campaign.
In September 2024, he reinforced his commitment to reducing federal involvement in education, arguing that the government should not be using taxpayer dollars to “indoctrinate America’s youth.”
“Everybody knows it’s right, and we have to get our children educated,” Trump stated while signing the executive order. “We’re not doing well with the world of education in this country, and we haven’t for a long time.”
According to a White House fact sheet, the executive order is intended to shift control of education away from federal bureaucracies and into the hands of families and local governments.
The directive instructs 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, while continuing to ensure