Trump Moves to Dismantle Department of Education
Top officials in President Donald Trump's administration are reportedly circulating a draft executive order aimed at initiating the process to dismantle the Department of Education. This step aligns with Trump's campaign promise to return education policy to the states.
The draft order does not directly mandate the dismantling of the department but requests a plan to do so from the Education Secretary, as reported by ABC News. Furthermore, the order calls on Congress to legislate the removal of the department from federal statutes.
Trump is expected to sign the order soon, although a specific date has not yet been set. If enacted, the order would likely be implemented by Trump's nominee for the Department of Education, Linda McMahon. According to The Wall Street Journal, some administration officials are advising Trump to postpone signing the order until after McMahon's confirmation hearing to enhance her chances in the Senate.
McMahon's nomination is currently on hold in the Senate as lawmakers await her ethics paperwork, which has delayed the scheduling of her confirmation hearing.
If the order is signed, it could lead to cuts in certain areas of the Department of Education and potentially halt some controversial actions from former President Joe Biden's administration, including mass student loan forgiveness. However, dismantling the department would ultimately require congressional action.
Additionally, the Department of Government Efficiency, spearheaded by Elon Musk, is looking into ways to streamline the Department of Education through executive means, according to The Washington Post.
As a result of Trump's executive order to eliminate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives within the government, some employees of the Department of Education have already been placed on administrative leave. Employees in the department's DEI accessibility office have been notified that they are being placed on paid leave as the agency works to terminate all DEI-related initiatives and programs.
