Staff ReportsThe federal Department of Education is about to get a makeover, but not the kind that involves Pinterest boards and overzealous plans for artful chalkboards. According to reports, President Donald Trump is gearing up to sign an executive order aimed at “dismantling” this bureaucratic behemoth. In an impressive move that even Martha Stewart would applaud—if she were politically inclined—the President seems determined to shrink the size and scope of an agency many believe has been out to lunch since its inception.
As The Wall Street Journal reports, the fine print of this executive order hints at a grand vision. It calls for the Department of Education to start shedding its excess weight, although the nitty-gritty details are still under wraps. It’s a tall order, though, given that Congress created this department and, if the whispers of the Washington Post are to be believed, it will take congressional cooperation to give it the axe. Considering the House vote to abolish the department fell flat in 2023, there’s a chance Senate Democrats might be playing a game of legislative tug-of-war.
🚨 #BREAKING: President Trump will be signing an executive order to “dismantle” the Department of Education, per WaPo
“I will shut down the federal Department of Education, and we will move everything back to the states where it belongs!”
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— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) February 3, 2025
Unbeknownst to many, the Department of Government Efficiency, which is saying a lot when it comes to federal agencies, has been on the hunt for ways to trim the fat, with guidance from none other than tech mogul Elon Musk. Armed with questionable sources—because what news report isn’t these days?—the Post noted that this group has been snooping around the Education Department like kids in a candy store, looking for savings to deliver back to the Trump administration.
Pundits believe that the involvement of these DOGE staff members in the Education Department might signal a precursor to some serious budget cuts that could fulfill one of Trump’s ambitious campaign promises: the total annihilation of the Education Department as we know it. Yet, reality bites, and here’s where things get sticky. Anytime one wants to raze a government department, it takes more than a simple wave of the executive wand; it requires a solid “yes” from Congress—which currently has seven Senate Democrats holding up the proverbial stop sign.
On the surface, it might appear Trump is on a path to success, especially with the GOP controlling the House and Senate. But Republican Rep. Tim Walberg of Michigan, the head of the House Education Committee, recently threw a bucket of cold water on the hopes of those wishing to declare public education DOA. Instead, he suggested that the real objective is to “de-power” the Department of Education, keeping it far removed from the realm of enforcing progressive policies that seem to plague education today.
The timeline for this executive order remains as uncertain as a politician’s promise. Some within Trump’s circle believe it would be wise to wait until Education Secretary nominee Linda McMahon makes it through her confirmation process before officially executing the plan, although that hearing has yet to be scheduled. However, Trump supporters can expect the order to wind its way through the political landscape sometime later this month, especially in light of recent reports indicating several Education Department employees were shown the door after Trump’s ban on DEI programs in federal workplaces. The winds of change are blowing, and if anyone is daring enough to predict what comes next, they’ve got more guts than most.
