President Trump has confirmed plans to dismantle the Department of Education. This would deliver on a promise made during his presidential campaign.
Trump said: “The Department of Education’s a big con job,” and he would “like it to be closed immediately”.
An immediate closure of the Education Department could disrupt tens of billions of dollars in aid to American schools, as well as disrupting tuition fee support for low income college students.
However, the Department cannot close without approval from Congress.
The plan would be enacted in two parts: directing the Secretary of Education to create a plan to curtail departmental activities through executive action, and then pushing Congress to act accordingly through legislation.
In December of 2024, Trump nominated politician and business executive Linda McMahon for Education Chief.
At the Senate confirmation hearing on February 13, McMahon advocated for the president’s plans to alter the department.
McMahon said, “I will work with Congress to reorientate the department towards helping educators, not controlling them”.
In the US, the Department of Education oversees funding for public schools, supports low-income student programmes, and administers student loans.
Republicans have historically been opposed to the centralisation of education, believing individual states would provide better management.
In October, Trump stated he would revoke the student visas of radical anti-American and antisemitic foreigners attending American universities and colleges, in what is part of a wider clash Donald Trump has had with students.
