President Trump’s long-promised plan to shut down the Department of Education will be realized Thursday with the signing of an executive order.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
President Donald Trump will fulfill a major campaign commitment on Thursday by signing an executive order that will dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, according to a White House summary seen by Reuters. The decision, which Trump said would eliminate what he called “a big con job,” will shift the department’s core responsibilities to state governments and other federal agencies.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon, recently confirmed by the Senate, has defended the executive action, describing it as a necessary move to empower states and reduce federal overreach. “This is about keeping a promise to the American people,” McMahon said. “President Trump is restoring local control and ensuring education decisions are made closer to home.”
The executive order instructs 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 the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely,” according to Reuters. The directive is the first shutdown of a cabinet-level agency under Trump’s leadership.
Trump’s administration has already taken steps to scale down the department. Its workforce has been reduced by half, with notable downsizing in the Office for Civil Rights and the Institute of Education Sciences, which tracks academic data nationwide. These cuts have drawn criticism from Democrat lawmakers, who argue the changes undermine civil rights enforcement and data transparency in education.
The planned closure has been anticipated since early February, when the White House initially disclosed its intent, but withheld action until McMahon’s confirmation was complete. NPR reports the administration waited until now to make the move official.
Over the past week, significant layoffs have already commenced within the Education Department, aligning with the administration’s timeline for its full dismantlement. The transition of responsibilities to the states and other agencies is expected to continue in the coming weeks.
Trump’s 2024 campaign platform prominently featured his pledge to eliminate the Education Department and transfer its authority to state governments. He accused the department of inefficiency, bureaucratic waste, and contributing to what he termed “woke curricula.” In his words, the federal role in education had become a “drain on taxpayer dollars for little return,” a claim he used to galvanize support among voters. As highlighted by Breitbart, Trump’s vow to shutter the department was a consistent theme throughout his campaign messaging.
The first outlet to confirm the forthcoming executive action was USA Today, which reported Wednesday on the administration’s finalization of the order’s language and planned public announcement.
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