Trump Demands Immediate Closure of Education Department

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump stated that he wants the federal Education Department closed immediately. Trump said last week that he wanted to close the Department of Education by executive order, but acknowledged that he’d need buy-ins and support from Congress and teachers’ unions to follow through on his campaign promise.

Closing the Education Department immediately could affect tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars of aid for K-12 schools, as well as tuition assistance to college students. Trump’s first weeks as president have been spent pushing for massive changes in the U.S. Government. He has demanded federal employees return to their offices or quit. He is also seeking to cut costs and jobs, and shutting down agencies like the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Trump has targeted the Education Department. Education policy is largely decided at the state and local level in the United States. DOE, which is a relatively smaller government agency, devotes most of its efforts to overseeing federal loans for students and grants for K-12. Trump has expressed concerns over departmental wokeism and is also looking for ways to reduce government bureaucracy.

Trump told reporters Wednesday that he would like the department to be shut down immediately. The Department of Education is a huge con. The president said previously that he has asked Linda McMahon to close the department she is to head.

Trump proposed closing the Education Department during his first term, from 2017-2021, but Congress failed to act. The Education Department employs 4,245 people and spent $251 Billion in the last year.

Conservative think-tanks who have called for the abolishment of the Education Department, have suggested that other agencies can handle its aid program and oversight duties.