The long-standing promise made by President Donald Trump to abolish the Department of Education is being carried out. The Washington Post reports that the White House is now drafting executive actions that will drastically cut the agency’s size and power. This endeavor is a part of a larger plan to reduce the size of federal agencies and the federal workforce, spearheaded by billionaire Elon Musk and his supporters.
Under the proposed executive order, all Department of Education functions not specifically required by federal law would be eliminated, and some duties would be transferred to other departments. The department would essentially lose many of its primary responsibilities as a result of this reorganization.
Tensions escalated on Friday when dozens of Department of Education employees were placed on administrative leave. Their alleged offense? Participating in a voluntary diversity training session during their personal time. This is seen by critics as a direct warning to federal workers and as a component of a larger attempt to stifle diversity initiatives and further undermine the department’s internal dynamics.
