Trump Orders Linda McMahon to Shut Down U.S. Department of Education, Cutting 1,315 Jobs from 4,200 Staff

The U.S. Department of Education is set to undergo significant changes as President Donald Trump has instructed Education Secretary Linda McMahon to begin the process of shutting down the department. Staff members, totaling around 4,200, were told to leave the department's headquarters by 6 p.m. on Tuesday, marking the start of mass layoffs that will cut the workforce roughly in half, with 1,315 employees being laid off and 600 accepting buyouts. Secretary McMahon confirmed that these layoffs are the first step toward dismantling the agency, aligning with Trump's campaign promise to abolish the Department of Education. She emphasized that the administration aims to remove bureaucratic bloat while ensuring that grants and appropriations continue to be managed effectively. The remaining staff will be placed on administrative leave starting March 21. McMahon stated that the directive from the President is clear: to shut down the Department of Education. However, she noted that the administration will need to work with Congress to achieve this goal. The cuts are intended to redirect more funds to states, allowing for education to be managed closer to local communities, parents, and school boards. McMahon pointed out that only 30% of U.S. high school graduates can read proficiently, highlighting the need for educational reform. The Trump administration's move has drawn criticism from educational leaders, including American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, who expressed anger over the plans to revise the department. McMahon countered these criticisms by arguing that the President's goal is not to take education away from children but to remove bureaucracy, thereby improving education by giving more control to local entities. Trump has previously described the Department of Education as a 'big fraud.'