From MXMNews

Quick Hit:

President Trump is reportedly weighing an executive order to significantly reduce the Department of Education’s functions, with the ultimate goal of abolishing the agency altogether. According to the Wall Street Journal, the move would be part of a broader effort to downsize the federal government and return control over education to the states.

Key Details:

• The proposed executive order would dismantle most of the Department of Education’s operations, though functions mandated by federal law would remain.

• Trump has consistently criticized the department, pledging during his campaign to eliminate it, stating at a September rally in Wisconsin that he’s “dying” to get back in office to “eliminate the federal Department of Education.”

• Education Secretary-designate Linda McMahon’s confirmation process may influence the timing of the order, as some officials reportedly prefer waiting until after her Senate hearing to avoid complicating her nomination.

Diving Deeper:

President Trump is considering an executive order aimed at gutting the Department of Education, with plans to push for legislation to abolish the agency entirely, according to a Wall Street Journal report published Monday. The reported discussions within the Trump administration reflect the president’s long-standing campaign promise to reduce the size of the federal government and shift educational authority back to the states.

The potential executive order would target nearly all functions of the Department of Education, though programs explicitly required by statute would remain under its jurisdiction. Other responsibilities might be reassigned to different federal agencies. Importantly, while an executive order could scale back the department’s operations, fully dismantling it would require an act of Congress.

The Wall Street Journal also noted that Elon Musk, serving as the Department of Government Efficiency chief, is involved in plans for significant federal budget cuts, with the Education Department among the primary targets. A White House official told the New York Post that Trump’s administration is committed to “reevaluating the future of the Department of Education” to fulfill his campaign promises.

Throughout his campaign and presidency, Trump has been vocal about his opposition to the department. At a September rally in Wisconsin, he declared, “We will drain the government education swamp and stop the abuse of your taxpayer dollars to indoctrinate America’s youth with all sorts of things that you don’t want to have our youth hearing.” In a December interview with Time magazine, he mentioned plans for at least a “virtual closure” of the department.

Internal discussions reportedly include concerns about the timing of the executive order, particularly regarding Education Secretary-designate Linda McMahon’s Senate confirmation. Some officials fear that announcing such a sweeping move before her hearing could jeopardize her nomination. When Trump nominated McMahon last November, he emphasized her role in shifting education policy back to state control, stating, “We will send Education BACK TO THE STATES, and LINDA will spearhead that effort.”