Trump to sign executive order to begin closing the Department of Education

The White House confirmed that President Donald Trump will sign an executive order today to begin the process of dismantling the Department of Education.

(NBC)- The White House confirmed that President Donald Trump will sign an executive order today to begin the process of dismantling the Department of Education. The executive order, however, does not have the authority to completely shut down the department, as that would require an act of Congress. Instead, the administration could effectively gut the department, making it incapable of operating.

President Trump emphasized his intent to move education authority to the states, stating, “We’re going to move Education into the states.” The department has already seen significant reductions, including a 50% staff cut last week.

Kim Anderson, Executive Director of the National Education Association, voiced concern over the impact this move would have on federal funding for education, saying, “This is about federal streams of money that help students live into their full potential.” While nearly 90% of school funding comes from state and local sources, the federal Department of Education provides critical services, including protections for students with disabilities, investigations into discrimination, aid for low-income districts, and oversight of financial aid for higher education.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon has reassured the public that core functions of the department, including these services, will continue. “None of that is going to fall through the cracks,” she said.

In other developments, the Trump administration is also weighing new immigration policies, including the creation of a southern border buffer zone, which could involve U.S. troops temporarily holding migrants who cross into the country.

Additionally, the White House is pushing back against a federal judge who temporarily blocked President Trump from using a rarely invoked 1798 law to deport hundreds of Venezuelan gang members. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt criticized the judge, calling him an “activist judge trying to usurp the President’s authority.” However, Ty Cobb, a former Trump administration attorney, rejected that characterization, noting the judge’s track record of impartial rulings.