The Department of Education (DEO) has been a central focus point for President Donald Trump’s administration. Throughout the campaign, Trump criticized the department, appealing to conservative followers with his promises of less government regulation, ending anti “woke” curricula, the return of education control to the states and dramatically cutting DOE funding.
Disassembling the department has been a long-standing goal for Republicans, driven by their strong opposition to the federal government’s involvement in local education and the misuse of taxpayer dollars.
Established by Congress in 1979, the Department of Education oversees the distribution of federal financial aid for education, collects data and research concerning schools and enforces policies that prevent discrimination in educational institutions.
“To strengthen the Federal commitment to ensuring access to equal educational opportunity for every individual … to promote improvements in the quality and usefulness of education through federally supported research, evaluation, and the sharing of information,” the Act reads.
Echoing this sentiment, Trump has previously expressed his inclination to eliminate the department in its entirety, stating that he wanted new Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to “put herself out of a job.”
Since the Biden administration, there has been a dramatic shift in the department’s priorities. McMahon is most well known for her role as CEO of the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). McMahon has a long history of supporting the Republican party and has also taken on various governmental roles.
McMahon served as the Administrator of the Small Business Administration under the first Trump administration from 2017 to 2019, advocating strongly for small businesses in America.
Now, as the secretary of the DOE, McMahon has firmly laid the groundwork for the department’s goals.
On Mar. 3, McMahon released a memo on the U.S. Department of Education’s website titled “Our Department’s Final Mission,” emphasizing the important steps the federal agency will take to reform the department.
The memo emphasized the department’s intense support for American education, while also emphasizing the statement that the education system “ought not to be corrupted by political ideologies, special interests, and unjust discrimination.”
Referring to President Trump’s latest executive actions, McMahon fervently supported “combatting critical race theory, DEI, gender ideology, discrimination in admissions, promoting school choice for every child, and restoring patriotic education and civics.” Additionally, the memo stresses that parents should guide education, core subjects should take priority and postsecondary education should lead to career opportunities.
Elon Musk, a close confidant of Trump, has already led intense initiatives to further reshape education through his newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). His team has previously gained administrator-level status in the department’s email system to closely examine the agency, allowing Musk and his team to have access to sensitive information. DOGE has also undergone several contract cuts it deemed unnecessary and reduced the Institute of Education Sciences, which tracks and monitors the nation’s academic progress.
On Thursday, rumors circulated that Trump would sign an executive order to potentially terminate the DOE. The Wall Street Journal confirmed the existence of a draft executive order, requiring Secretary McMahon to make advancements toward “completely eliminating the department.” However, this “would require congressional approval and 60 votes in the Senate, which is unlikely given the current makeup.”
These statements have heightened apprehension nationwide amongst students and parents. Despite the Education Department being the smallest of the cabinet, it plays a crucial role, particularly for low-income families who rely on support through federal Pell Grants and other resources.
While the public waited for news regarding the potential signing, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt took to X stating, “More Fake News! President Trump is NOT signing an Executive Order on the Department of Education today.” This response has given us short-term answers, but the future of the department remains ambiguous.
