Linda McMahon Moves to Dissolve Education Department Under Trump Mandate

Washington, D.C. — Linda McMahon, the Secretary of the Department of Education, is taking significant steps to fulfill President Donald Trump’s directive to dissolve the agency. Since her Senate confirmation in March 2025, McMahon has been tasked with dismantling the department using all legal avenues available.

The initiative involves extensive actions, including partnering with other agencies to assume the department’s responsibilities and reducing its workforce by nearly half, according to officials. This comes as Trump previously praised McMahon, the former WWE CEO, for her capability to empower students and streamline education.

“Linda will use her decades of leadership experience to make America number one in education,” Trump stated. McMahon’s efforts include closing regional offices for civil rights complaints and layoffs within the Federal Student Aid office, which manages over $1.6 trillion in student loans.

Education advocacy groups are voicing concerns about the long-term consequences of these changes. Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers, criticized the administration’s moves, saying, “What Trump says is ‘I’m getting rid of the Department of Education,’ which is an abandonment of the future.”

Conversely, proponents of education reform, such as Neal McCluskey from the Cato Institute, support McMahon’s actions. He believes the federal government should not oversee education, stating that the department has failed to show significant successes.

McMahon is on a 50-state tour to learn state-level educational practices while advocating for power to be returned to parents and local education agencies. To formally implement these changes, she will need to engage with Congress, as noted by Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), who supports her efforts.

“She’s pointing out to the American people how useless the Department of Education is,” Foxx said. Meanwhile, Democratic Senator Andy Kim argues that reducing federal support for education is irresponsible, emphasizing the need for better tools for students’ growth.