The executive order instructs Education Secretary Linda McMahon to begin the process of shutting down the department, a bloated agency that has drained billions in taxpayer dollars while failing American students. Key elements of the order include:
- Decentralizing education control – Shifting decision-making power to state governments and local school boards, allowing them to set policies based on community needs, not federal mandates.
- Ending radical left-wing indoctrination programs – Eliminating federal funding for woke initiatives, including Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs and other leftist-driven educational policies.
- Streamlining funding distribution – Ensuring that critical student aid programs such as Pell Grants and special education funding remain intact, but are handled at the state level rather than through federal bureaucracy.
Promises made, promises kept: President Trump signs an executive order to officially begin the process of dismantling the Department of Education. pic.twitter.com/kJj5UcMU3o
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) March 20, 2025
Trump’s Statement on Dismantling the Education Department
Before signing the order, President Trump made it clear why this move was necessary:
“For decades, the Department of Education has done nothing but waste money, impose radical leftist propaganda, and destroy the quality of American schools. We’re putting an end to it. It’s time to return control to parents, teachers, and communities—where it belongs.”
Trump also noted that despite spending over $79 billion per year, the department has failed to improve student outcomes, with math and reading scores declining nationwide.
The Fight Ahead: Congressional Approval Needed
While Trump’s executive order sets the process in motion, Congress must approve the formal abolition of the Department of Education. The department was created by Congress in 1979, meaning legislation is required to officially shut it down.
With Republicans controlling 53 Senate seats, the battle will now shift to Capitol Hill, where Trump’s allies will push to permanently eliminate the department and ensure states take full control of their education systems.
Left-Wing Backlash Begins
Predictably, Democrats and teachers’ unions are outraged, claiming that eliminating the department will “harm students”—even though federal control has done nothing but weaken the quality of American education. A coalition of left-wing activists has already announced plans to challenge the executive order in court, desperate to keep control of what children are taught.
However, conservatives argue that federal involvement in education has only led to more bureaucracy, more wasted money, and more radical curriculum mandates. Trump’s move is being hailed by parents, Republican lawmakers, and education reform advocates as a long-overdue step toward restoring common sense in schools.
What Happens Next?
With the executive order now signed, the Trump administration will push Congress to officially shut down the Department of Education. This move signals the biggest federal government rollback in decades, proving that Trump is serious about reducing Washington’s power and putting Americans back in control.
The fight for America’s schools has begun—and under Trump, the power is finally returning to the people.