Plans to dismantle the department face significant opposition, with congressional approval required
Donald Trump and his recently appointed Education Secretary, Linda McMahon, are reportedly moving forward with a plan to close the U.S. Department of Education (DOE). This step is seen as a fulfilment of a promise made during his 2016 campaign, when Trump first expressed his intention to shut down the agency. Despite his previous attempt to eliminate the department during his first term, this new plan, now backed by McMahon, aims to bring the proposal to fruition.
McMahon, whose confirmation as Secretary of Education narrowly passed in March with a 51-45 Senate vote, is focused on dismantling the DOE. Her confirmation is seen as indicative of her commitment to this mission. Known for her prominence as the wife of Vince McMahon, the founder of WWE, Linda McMahon’s political journey is now tied to her role in closing an agency she has long criticised.
Trump is expected to issue an executive order directing McMahon to take all the necessary legal steps to dissolve the department. However, closing the DOE will not be an easy task. As a cabinet-level department, it requires approval from Congress to be shut down. In particular, the Senate would need a supermajority of 60 votes, which poses a challenge given the Republican Party controls only 53 seats. To succeed, they would need seven Democratic senators to join them.
The proposal to dismantle the DOE has roots in the conservative push to reduce the federal government’s role in education. Historically, education in the U.S. has largely been the responsibility of state governments, with federal involvement mainly limited to funding. Today, approximately 85% of public school funding comes from local or state governments, not federal sources.
The DOE, created in 1979 under President Jimmy Carter, serves to distribute federal funds to public schools and administer student loans. It also plays a significant role in civil rights protections, ensuring students with special needs receive appropriate services. This has placed the department at the heart of debates over diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), which some view as essential to combating discrimination, while others see it as ideological overreach.
The proposal to eliminate the DOE aligns with the conservative agenda outlined in Project 2025, a blueprint for Trump’s second term, which criticises the department as a “federal intrusion” into what should be state and local responsibilities. Critics, such as the National Education Association, argue that shutting down the DOE would harm public schools, depriving them of crucial resources and potentially diverting funds to private institutions or wealthy tax cuts.
The plan to eliminate the DOE, however, is expected to encounter fierce opposition, as many fear it will undermine efforts to support public education and civil rights protections for students.
