President Donald Trump is set to take a groundbreaking step in overhauling the U.S. education system by issuing an executive order aimed at dismantling the Department of Education.
The decision, anticipated as soon as Thursday, will instruct Education Secretary Linda McMahon to begin the process of shutting down the federal agency, according to The Wall Street Journal. The draft order reportedly states, “The experiment of controlling American education through federal programs and dollars—along with the unaccountable bureaucrats they fund—has failed our children, our teachers, and our families.”
🚨BREAKING: President Trump has drafted an executive order to officially "eliminate" the Department of Education, per the WSJ, directing Secretary Linda McMahon to take all necessary steps to facilitate its closure. pic.twitter.com/dmvEdkjjci
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) March 6, 2025
The order directs McMahon to take “all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Education Department” within legal boundaries. Recently confirmed as education secretary on Monday, McMahon has fully embraced the task of dismantling the agency. In a staff email, she described the mission as “momentous” and stressed the need to eliminate “bureaucratic bloat.” During her confirmation hearing last month, she criticized the department for “excessive consolidation of power” and called for “education freedom, not government-run systems.”
Trump has been a vocal opponent of the Department of Education for years. Last month, he hinted that McMahon’s primary objective would be to make her position obsolete. Established in 1980 under President Jimmy Carter, the department has long been a target for conservative leaders who argue that federal control over education policy is unnecessary.
The initiative has gained backing from prominent Republican lawmakers. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), a strong advocate for education reform, has expressed confidence in McMahon’s ability to implement these changes.
“For too long, our educational system has been failing our children, and Linda will put a focus on returning power to the states to foster much-needed reform and restore excellence in K-12 education,” he posted on X on Monday.
🚨BREAKING: Trump will be signing an EO this afternoon that will eliminate the Department of Education
— Steve Gruber (@stevegrubershow) March 6, 2025
Trump’s order directs McMahon to “take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure” pic.twitter.com/Pm9z09JN9k
Louisiana Senator John Kennedy (R) also voiced support, emphasizing that parents should have more control over their children’s education.
“Parents have the right to educate their kids as they see fit—and the responsibility to protect them from unhealthy, unhappy, and discriminatory woke lies that too many government schools have been peddling,” he wrote in a Facebook post last month.
Trump’s push to eliminate the department aligns with his broader mission to remove “wokeness” and ideological indoctrination from schools. His administration has also relied on the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to streamline federal operations. DOGE audits have already uncovered billions in potential savings, including over $500 million by eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) grants, according to The Daily Mail.
Congratulations to my good friend @Linda_McMahon on being confirmed as Secretary of the Department of Education.
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) March 3, 2025
She is a strong, accomplished leader with decades of experience fixing broken systems.
For too long, our educational system has been failing our children, and…
However, the decision has sparked significant opposition. National Education Association President Becky Pringle has warned that shutting down the department would have devastating consequences.
“[This move] would steal resources from our most vulnerable students, explode class sizes, cut job training programs, make higher education unaffordable, take away special education services, and gut civil rights protections.”
The Department of Education is responsible for overseeing critical funding for students from low-income backgrounds and those with disabilities. While Trump’s executive order is a major step toward dismantling the agency, legal challenges could arise, as fully eliminating the department may require congressional approval.
Reports suggest that Trump’s advisers are working on a strategy to eliminate non-essential functions while transferring core responsibilities to other federal agencies.
Education Department spokeswoman Madi Biedermann reiterated McMahon’s dedication to executing Trump’s directive.
“He was very clear about what he wanted, and Secretary McMahon made it clear she’s here to implement his agenda,” she stated.
