US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to begin dismantling the Department of Education, fulfilling a long-standing conservative goal and a key promise from his campaign.
At a signing ceremony at the White House, Trump accused the agency of “breathtaking failures” and pledged to return control of education funding and policies to individual states.
“We’re going to shut it down as quickly as possible,” Trump said. However, he acknowledged that fully closing the department would require an act of Congress, making the process far from certain. The order is already facing legal challenges from groups seeking to block the agency’s closure, as well as from employees affected by the sweeping job cuts announced last week.
The Department of Education, established in 1979, plays a key role in administering student loans and funding programs for low-income students. Contrary to popular belief, it does not directly run public schools or set curricula—that responsibility lies with state and local governments. Only about 13% of funding for primary and secondary education comes from federal sources, with the rest coming from state and local taxes.
During the signing event, Trump, surrounded by schoolchildren, criticized the department for allegedly indoctrinating students with political, racial, and sexual material. He also argued that, despite high levels of spending on education, US students perform poorly compared to their global peers.
“The US spends more money on education by far than any other country,” Trump said. However, the UNESCO Institute for Statistics reports that while the US allocates about 5.4% of its GDP to education, this is not the highest in the world. The Department of Education’s budget last year was $238 billion, making up less than 2% of total federal spending.
The White House has stated that, even if the department cannot be fully shut down, it will pursue deep cuts to its funding and workforce. The administration could also shift key responsibilities to state governments, limiting the federal agency’s power. This approach mirrors past efforts to weaken other government institutions, such as the US Agency for International Development (USAID), which saw its funding slashed under Trump.
At the event, Trump praised Linda McMahon, his appointee to lead the department, and suggested she would be its last secretary of education. “We’ll find something else for her to do,” he added.
Shortly after the executive order was signed, Republican Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana announced plans to introduce legislation to formally dissolve the Department of Education. However, with Republicans holding a narrow 53-47 majority in the Senate, passing such a measure would require bipartisan support—an unlikely scenario given the opposition from Democrats.
For decades, conservatives have pushed to eliminate the Department of Education, with the idea dating back to Ronald Reagan’s presidency. Trump’s order represents the most serious attempt yet to make that goal a reality. However, the future of the agency—and the broader impact on American students—remains uncertain.
Critics argue that dismantling the department could disrupt essential programs, including those supporting low-income students and managing student loans. While the order instructs McMahon to ensure a smooth transition, the lack of specific details has raised concerns about what programs might be cut.
Even if Congress blocks the department’s closure, the Trump administration appears determined to significantly weaken its influence. The legal and political battles over the future of federal education policy are just beginning
