President Trump is aiming to shut down the Education Department through executive order, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.
Timing: A draft order has been circulating and was expected to be signed as early as today. But a White House official told NewsNation that the order signing has been paused because the administration wants to continue to review the draft.
Can Trump unilaterally shutter the Education Department?: No, in fact the order acknowledges that a president doesn’t have the authority to abolish a department, only Congress can.
Then how would he do it?: Trump would direct Education Secretary Linda McMahon to “take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Education Department” using “the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law.”
^ So, expect a big legal battle.
What it would take to fully shutter the department: It would require 60 “yes” votes in the Senate, which Republicans do not have.
Helpful read — So, how small can it get without Congress’s approval?: The Hill’s Lexi Lonas Cochran reported on how small the Education Department can get without Congress changing the law.
How does McMahon feel about this?: I mean, she would be putting herself out of a job. But she has said she “wholeheartedly” agrees with Trump’s plan, and when Trump nominated her, he even said he wanted her to put herself out of a job.
💡Closing the Education Department would be a very big deal: The department, which has been around since 1980, has a budget of roughly $268 billion and has approximately 4,440 employees.
What the Education Department does and doesn’t do: NPR has a helpful explainer on the department’s responsibilities. It sends money to public schools, manages financial aid and student loans. NPR notes that the department does *not* have power over what is taught in schools — that’s up to states.
