IT'S DONE: Trump Signs Monster Executive Order Aimed at Closing Education Department

President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order effectively dismantling the Department of Education by ordering EdSec Linda McMahon to take “all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return education authority to the states."

Democrats, teachers unions, and progressives are of course freaking out over the decision and will likely start filing lawsuits within minutes of the signing event, which was held in the East Room of the White House

"Linda, you're going to be presiding over something that's so important," the president told McMahon just moments before he signed the order.

🚨 @POTUS: Today, we take a very historic action that is 45 years in the making. In a few moments, I will sign an Executive Order to begin eliminating the Department of Education once and for all. pic.twitter.com/Y0pxNhBwUF
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 20, 2025

Pres. Trump stressed that "useful fuctions" of the ED, like Pell grants and other resources that help faciliate education, will remain active:

.@POTUS announces that the Department of Education's useful functions such as Pell Grants, Title 1 funding, and resources for children with disabilities will be FULLY preserved and moved to other agencies and departments. pic.twitter.com/jFece1jg7L
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 20, 2025

And here's him (and the children present) signing the EO:

BREAKING: President Donald J. Trump signs an executive order to officially begin the process of closing the Department of Education. pic.twitter.com/A652ZCudOS
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 20, 2025

The White House also posted on its official website and the Rapid Response X account some of the reasons why it believes the department is a failure:

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.

There has been basically no measurable improvement in student achievement:

— Math and reading scores for…
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 20, 2025

Since 1979, the U.S. Department of Education has spent over $3 trillion with virtually nothing to show for it. Despite per-pupil spending having increased by more than 245% over that period, there has been virtually no measurable improvement in student achievement:
Math and reading scores for 13-year-olds are at the lowest level in decades.
Six-in-ten fourth graders and nearly three-quarters of eighth graders are not proficient in math.
Seven-in-ten fourth and eighth graders are not proficient in reading, while 40% of fourth grade students don’t even meet basic reading levels.
Standardized test scores have remained flat for decades.
U.S. students rank 28 out of 37 OECD member countries in math.

BOO-HOO: Elizabeth Warren Nearly in Tears Over Trump and Elon's Plan to Dismantle Education Department

Preceding the signing, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt showed what teaching really is, as she held a masterclass for the media on why this decision is necessary:

Karoline Leavitt just put on another masterclass in front of the media.

Reporter: "What do you say to critics of the President's education plan?"

Leavitt: "Where was their criticism of our nation's failing test scores for the last several decades? The Department of Education… pic.twitter.com/Ue8LNNVl10
— George (@BehizyTweets) March 20, 2025

The tweet continues:

"The Department of Education was founded in the 1970s, and since then, we have spent more than $3 trillion at this federal bureaucracy. What has been the return on that investment for the American taxpayer? Levels that are less than ideal, less than proficient. Our children's test scores are incredibly concerning when it comes to reading rates, literacy rates, math and science test scores. The numbers prove that." SHUT IT DOWN, Mr. President.

Trump mentioned that with education going back to the states, Americans' children will have a higher quality of education than leading countries like Denmark, Norway, and Finland. As RedState’s Becca Lower wrote in an article previewing this order, the administration is tired of seeing our kids fall behind:

The USA Today report [which broke the news about the impending EO] continues with a statement by White House principal deputy press secretary, Harrison Fields, who said the EO "will empower parents, states, and communities to take control and improve outcomes for all students,” adding that the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress exam test results "reveal a national crisis ‒ our children are falling behind."

As Pres. Trump noted in his remarks preceding the signing, even members of Jimmy Carter's own administration advised against the ED's formation. Republicans have dreamed of shuttering this Carter-era department for years. Now, the president and his team are taking positive steps to actually make that happen.

You can read the full text of the executive order here.

Expect the courts to jump in with temporary injunctions immediately, and of course, Congress would need to sign off on any federal department being closed completely. This is a developing story, so RedState will provide updates as warranted.

[Editor's Note: This piece includes contributions from Becca Lower.]

Trump is rebuilding the Executive Branch with his vision—making it lean, mean, and fighting for the American people.

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