President Donald Trump signed a major executive order on Thursday to "begin eliminating" the Department of Education, "once and for all." HThe signing came as the president gave remarks on education for this "historic event."
THERE IT IS!
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) March 20, 2025
President Trump signs an executive order directing the Department of Education to be DISMANTLED!
Historic. pic.twitter.com/pqjIUJqUM5
Such a move was previewed on Wednesday evening, though Trump also signaled he would return the issue of education back to the states before officially taking office for his second term, when he announced he would be selecting Linda McMahon as his secretary of education, who has since been confirmed. It was a goal that the president again reaffirmed on Thursday. Trump introduced McMahon during his remarks as the woman he hopes will be the last secretary in such a position. Republican governors from several states were also in attendance for the event as "people very interested in education," as was Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R-TX), members of Congress, and state attorneys general.
Trump acknowledged it "sounds strange," but he also made clear he's heard from Democrats and Republicans that "it's about time." Regardless, Trump emphasized later in his remarks that it's the right thing to do, "as the cost will probably be half and the education will be many, many times better."
President Trump: It sounds strange, doesn't it? To eliminate the Department of Education?
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) March 20, 2025
Linda McMahon is here. Hopefully she will be our LAST Secretary of Education! https://t.co/2zw9ahjScu pic.twitter.com/zzKKj0NToW
While Democrats and others on the left have turned to hysterics to decry such a move, educational standards have actually gone down since the federal government became so heavily involved in education. Trump, during his remarks, pointed out that "we're not doing well with the world of education in this country, and we haven't for a long time." This comes even as such large sums of money are spent, as the president highlighted, and the discretionary budget "has exploded."
The Department of Education was created under President Jimmy Carter's administration, in October 1979. The move was opposed by members of Carter's own Cabinet, quite ironically by teachers' unions, editorial boards, and other Democrats, as Trump explained.
President Trump: We spend the most money per student, yet they're failing. Why? pic.twitter.com/O9VMyKLaxB
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) March 20, 2025
Without the department, though, Trump predicted that the United States "will be as good as any of them" when it comes to European countries as well as China on education.
Ahead of the signing on Thursday, the RapidResponse 47 X account posted several reminders of why it's not the end of the world to get rid of the department.
The U.S. Department of Education has spent $3+ trillion since 1979. Since then, per-pupil spending has increased by more than 245% — with virtually nothing to show for it.
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 20, 2025
There has been basically no measurable improvement in student achievement:
— Math and reading scores for…
It's time to do something different. pic.twitter.com/ErwbHADpRV
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 20, 2025
On Education, President Trump Knows We Can Do Better https://t.co/hJURadHWHb
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 20, 2025
Why would we keep doing the same thing over and over again and expect a different result? pic.twitter.com/EbbYs4Pega
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 20, 2025
Despite hysterical claims about children with special needs, Trump made clear that their needs "will be preserved in full." He also reassured that "we're going to take care of our teachers," who he believes will be even better taken care of "and better rewarded" once the states have control over education once more.
Early last month, radical leftist Democrats, led by Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) tried to force their way into the Department of Education building, though they were stopped from entering by a security guard they verbally harassed.
During her appearance on CNN earlier on Thursday, Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) also threw quite the tantrum over the fate of the department. While she lamented the fate of public schools, it comes at the cost of teachers' unions prioritizing teachers over students, especially during the COVID pandemic, and while also demonizing school choice.
Weingarten also falsely and outrageously claimed that she was in favor of opening schools particularly early during the pandemic, when teachers' unions reportedly colluded with the Biden-Harris administration on school openings.
If Weingarten is among those lamenting the fall of the Department of Education, it's surely a good thing.
Randi Weingarten: Most public school kids are disabled, poor, or rural. pic.twitter.com/51pJjmK9Tc
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) March 20, 2025
🚨RANDI WEINGARTEN: THE IDEA THAT WE WANTED SCHOOLS TO REMAIN CLOSED IS A "REPUBLICAN TALKING POINT!"
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) March 20, 2025
"COVID was a terrible time for us...I wanted schools to be reopened as early as April of 2020."
"This has been a Republican talking point for a long time." pic.twitter.com/y03BRtbTG5
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