President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order at the White House on Thursday aimed at significantly downsizing — and ultimately dismantling — the Department of Education, multiple sources told ABC News.
According to those familiar with the matter, the order instructs Education Secretary Linda McMahon to take all lawful steps to begin dissolving the department, fulfilling one of Trump’s long-standing campaign promises: shifting educational authority back to individual states.
A summary of the executive order reviewed by ABC News states that McMahon will be directed to take “all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return education authority to the States.” The directive also emphasizes the need to maintain the “uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely” — though how the administration intends to do that remains unclear. Sources indicate the White House has been exploring how key federal education programs could be transferred to other agencies.
Several Republican governors, including Ron DeSantis of Florida, Glenn Youngkin of Virginia, Greg Abbott of Texas, and Mike DeWine of Ohio, are expected to attend the signing ceremony, a White House official said.
The process of downsizing is already underway. Last week, the department laid off nearly half of its staff, significantly reducing its size through a combination of workforce cuts, voluntary resignations, and retirement buyouts. President Trump is expected to continue pressing for deeper cuts, vowing to eliminate even more staff and eventually shutter the department completely.
“I expect it will [be shut down entirely],” Trump said in a recent interview on Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson. “You’ll have a few people left just to make sure [the states are] teaching English — you know, reading, writing, and arithmetic.”
However, completely abolishing a federal agency would require congressional approval — a significant hurdle. Secretary McMahon has acknowledged that implementing Trump’s full vision would require action from Congress, including overcoming a Senate filibuster with at least 60 votes.
Critics warn that dismantling the Department of Education could undermine crucial financial assistance and grant programs, especially those designed to support high-need students. Education experts argue that eliminating the department could threaten public education funding and harm programs like Title I — which aids low-income families — and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
McMahon, however, insisted that such programs will continue. In an interview on Fox News’ The Ingraham Angle, she said staff cuts would not affect employees responsible for administering federally mandated initiatives. The department echoed this stance in a statement, pledging to continue supporting statutory programs such as student loans, Pell Grants, special education funding, and competitive grantmaking.
For more than four decades, critics of the Department of Education — Trump among them — have claimed it has wielded too much financial power with too little impact on student outcomes. After taking office, McMahon reinforced the administration’s position, saying the push to close the agency stems from a desire to give families more educational choices and prevent students from being trapped in failing schools.