US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order calling for the closure of the Department of Education.
Following the signing on Thursday, Trump stated, "We will shut down the Department of Education as soon as possible. It is not delivering results." However, the order does not specify which programs will be discontinued.
Trump has directed Education Secretary Linda McMahon to take legal steps to dismantle the department. He praised her leadership, saying, "She is doing a great job. It looks like she will be America's last education secretary."
Shifting Responsibilities to the States
Key programs previously managed by the Department of Education will be reassigned to other agencies. Trump emphasized that eliminating the federal department means individual states will now have full control over education policies.
However, much like his prior efforts to cut government jobs, this decision is expected to face legal challenges.
Trump argued that despite the US spending more on education than other countries, American students continue to lag behind in global rankings.
Congressional Approval Required
For the department to be formally dissolved, Congress must approve the proposal. However, it remains uncertain whether Trump has enough congressional support. The Senate currently consists of 53 Republicans and 47 Democrats, but 60 votes are needed to pass the measure.
Even if Congress does not approve the closure, Trump could still cut funding and reduce staff, as he previously did with USAID—leading to the shutdown of several programs.
