Why Trump decided to shut down the federal Department of Education: what we know
21 March 2025 18:47
Today, on March 21, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order during a ceremony at the White House, gathering students and teachers, which is actually intended to eliminate the federal Department of Education.
This decision was part of Trump’s campaign promises when he took office two months ago.
According to the decree, most of the powers in the field of education are transferred to the level of states and local authorities. The final closure of the department requires a special law of Congress, which Trump is likely to lack the votes for.
According to Reuters, Trump said:
“We will return education back to the states, where it belongs,” emphasizing that this decision is the right one and should be implemented as soon as possible.
Benefits of closing the US Department of Education
The White House claims that abolishing the department will improve student test scores and save money. However, Democrats and other critics believe that the move will make things harder for the most vulnerable students.
The executive order, the latest in a series of decisions by President Trump to radically reorganize government agencies, comes after the Education Department announced last week that it was laying off nearly half of its employees.
Trump, like most Republicans, has long advocated closing the Department of Education, but full abolition would require congressional approval, which BBC correspondents in Washington say is unlikely.
Trump’s arguments
Trump said that the United States spends more money on education than any other country, but at the same time, American students “rank last in terms of academic performance.” He noted that the Department of Education does not teach people, but maintains a public relations department with more than 80 employees, which costs more than $10 million a year. The decree says that eliminating the ministry will allow children and their families to break free from a system that does not support them and that the federal bureaucracy in education is not effective.
During the ceremony at the White House, Trump praised Linda McMahon, whom he had previously appointed to head the Department of Education, and expressed hope that she would be the last minister of the institution. In addition, Trump promised to find another position for her in the administration.
McMahon announced a halving of the Department of Education’s staff after she took office in early March.
Even if the department is not officially eliminated, the Trump administration may reduce its funding and staff, as happened with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The executive order signed on Thursday does not provide for specific measures.
Linda McMahon is directed to take “necessary steps to facilitate the closure” of the department and transfer its authority to local governments, while ensuring the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs and benefits that Americans rely on.
“We’re going to put education back in the states where it belongs,” Trump emphasized.
Thus, the closure of the U.S. Department of Education may be the beginning of a major reform, but many issues remain uncertain, including funding and support for vulnerable students.
Despite the support for this initiative among Republicans, full implementation of the plans requires congressional approval, which may be problematic. As usual, Trump continues to make ambitious changes in the government, but whether eliminating the federal department will really improve the situation in education remains an open question.
