Trump to Sign Order Pushing for the Abolition of the Education Department
US President Donald Trump is reportedly preparing to sign an executive order as early as Thursday instructing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to begin dismantling the US Department of Education, according to the Wall Street Journal.
A draft of the order directs McMahon to “take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Education Department,” within the limits of the law. The document criticizes federal control over education, calling it a failed experiment that has harmed students, teachers, and families.
The draft order remains “pre-decisional,” meaning it could be altered before finalization, but the move aligns with a long-standing conservative push to eliminate the department. McMahon, whose background is in professional wrestling rather than education, has previously expressed her commitment to returning educational authority to the states.
Following her Senate confirmation, she informed staff that Trump’s administration intended to dismantle the department swiftly and efficiently. The agency, created by Congress in 1979, was designed to enhance equal educational opportunities nationwide.
Trump has repeatedly pledged to abolish the department, reiterating his stance in a 2023 campaign video. While he cannot shut it down via executive order without congressional approval, he can significantly weaken its operations and shift its responsibilities to the states. Critics argue that such a move would undermine federal oversight of education, potentially widening disparities in school funding and quality across the country.
