The Trump Administration is Trying to Destroy the Department of Education
In yet another example of his failed policy, Trump is seeking to destroy the Department of Education.

It couldn’t get much worse now, could it? With only two weeks into the second Trump administration, and it is already devolving into all-out chaos and corruption. Throughout the last week, I had the great displeasure of discussing the dangers of the Trump administration’s picks for his cabinet, Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. However, I now have the great displeasure of addressing the reality that the Trump administration wants to destroy the Department of Education. The move would be not only for the well-being of the American people but also for our democratic system.
Attacking the Department of Education
The Department of Education is a critical component of America’s education system. It has an estimated 4,400 employees and a roughly $68 billion budget. The department monitors the distribution of those funds to various education ventures as needed, supporting state education systems as they provide for the public. According to a federal government grant website, the Department’s mission is to “…promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access.” The goal of the DOE is, therefore, best understood as an exercise in providing equal access to education for all citizens. An attack on that goal is an attack on equality itself.
Currently, the Trump administration is drafting an executive order that would set the standard for reducing and eventually eliminating the Department of Education. As CNN’s Alayna Treene and Katie Lobosco explain:
The move would come in two parts, the sources said. The order would direct the secretary of Education to create a plan to diminish the department through executive action.
Trump would also push for Congress to pass legislation to end the department, as those working on the order acknowledge that shuttering the department would require Congress’ involvement.
The president said Tuesday he wants his secretary of Education pick, Linda McMahon, to “put herself out of a job.”
“I told Linda, ‘Linda, I hope you do a great job in putting yourself out of a job.’ I want her to put herself out of a job – Education Department,” Trump said.
McMahon, who served as the head of the Small Business Administration during Trump’s first term, has yet to have a confirmation hearing for the top education post.
Elon Musk, who runs the private entity Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has argued for its removal, asserting that Trump will “succeed” where Reagan failed. Conservatives, including Reagan, have long called for the Department’s abolition. Reagan tried twice but failed to do so. If this policy goes through, it could seriously injure Americans’ education and dignity.
What Does This Mean?
While much of this discussion has focused on the Department of Education's importance in its own right, it is important to remember that the DOE impacts everyday American children. The DOE is responsible for supporting the education of 50 million students in about 98,000 public schools, 32,000 private schools, and an estimated 12 million postgraduate students.
Unilaterally, deciding to shut down the agency would not only mean that the support for these students would be severely undermined but would also damage the effectiveness of education across the country. It would also mean the destruction of support for disabled students.
Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004), the Department of Education provides guidelines for schools to carry out Individual Education Plans (IEPs) for disabled students. IEPs are legal documents that help organize the structure for how disabled student in public schools will receive their education. The plans are organized with parents and trained professionals to plan out, among other things:
A set of goals for the student
Determine what accommodations are necessary,
Assign the person responsible for those services
Determine the measures for success and the timing of those measures
These policies are put in place to assist a plethora of disabilities, whether they are physical, mental, intellectual, or all the above. Without the Department of Education’s guidance, those standards would be left to the states, effectively rendering the federally mandated-implementation of these plans ineffective.
Conclusion
Despite the clear and present harm to American students, Donald Trump and Elon Musk will continue to pursue this ridiculous policy that will hurt innocent children. While it is tempting to ignore the consequences of this policy procedure, the reality is that Donald Trump and Elon Musk don’t care. They don’t care if it hurts your kids or sets America back decades. They have a plan, and they are sticking to it.