Trump Signs Executive Order to Begin Reversing U.S. Department of Education

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to begin reversing the U.S. Department of Education, something he pledged to do during his 2024 campaign. Trump stated that the department is not useful and promised to shut it down as soon as possible. But dismantling the department completely would take Congress’s approval, which is not going to happen.

The directive requires the current head of the department, Linda McMahon, to proceed towards shutdown and shift responsibilities to state and local governments. It also allows the administration to cut parts of the department within legal limits.

Trump and the Republicans have been criticizing the department lately for advocating “woke” political ideals and imposing certain beliefs regarding gender and race. They say that the department is inefficient and not doing a good job for students, despite the fact that the U.S. invests more in education than any other country.

The order has already been contested in the courts, and closing down the department would require significant legislation. Even if it is not closed down, the funding and staff of the department can be significantly reduced, as with other federal agencies.