- McMahon confirms Trump's intent but offers no dissolution timeline
- White House delays order amid concerns over vital program impacts
- Closure requires congressional approval unlikely to pass Senate
- New York Governor Hochul warns of nationwide student harm
- 8 million job openings cited for displaced federal workers
U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon reiterated President Trump's commitment to dismantling the Department of Education during a Friday Fox & Friends appearance, though she declined to specify timing. The remarks follow the White House's abrupt cancellation of a planned executive order signing, with insiders citing fears over abrupt termination of civil rights protections and disability initiatives. A draft proposal obtained by ABC News directs McMahon to initiate closure procedures permitted by law,though legal scholars argue this phrasing lacks enforceability without legislative backing.
McMahon framed the potential dissolution as a states' rights victory, stating, Parents deserve autonomy to escape failing schools through voucher systems.Critics counter that the 1980-established department primarily handles civil rights investigations and nationwide research, not curricula. Over 1,200 federal employees now face uncertainty, with McMahon suggesting transitioning to private sector roles amid record job vacancies. This stance ignores challenges like pension losses and specialized skill mismatches, according to labor analysts.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul blasted the move during a virtual town hall, alleging it prioritizes tax cuts for Mar-a-Lago elites over 780,000 Title I students in her state alone. Slashing federal oversight doesn't magically boost local control—it defunds anti-discrimination enforcement,argued former Department attorney Carla Evans, referencing ongoing probes into LGBTQ+ student rights violations in Texas and Florida.
Constitutional experts note that transferring the department's $82 billion budget to states would require congressional cooperation, a hurdle given Democratic Senate control. McMahon's ally Glenn Jacobs, WWE's Kane-turned-mayor, praised her outsider approach to trim wastedespite audits revealing only 0.3% improper spending in 2024. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) continues reviewing operations, though McMahon provided no specifics on alleged mismanagement.