Trump wants to dismantle the Education Department. Here’s how it would work

Published July 15, 2025 9:34am ET



President Donald Trump signed an executive order to cut the Education Department and move its responsibilities back “to the states” in March, fulfilling a vow he made on the campaign trail.

The change is an unprecedented move, as no Cabinet department has ever been dissolved without being reorganized in some way. Trump picked Linda McMahon to serve as the secretary of education but told reporters earlier this year that he wanted “Linda to put herself out of a job” as he prepared to downsize the department.

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