Trump's Ambitious Plan to Abolish Education Department Faces Congressional Hurdles

President Donald Trump is once again shaking up Washington with an audacious plan to dismantle the Department of Education. While he could kick off the process via executive order, the ultimate goal of abolishing the agency outright would require one significant obstacle: congressional approval. And let's be honest, getting this through Congress might be as tricky as winning a debate with a teenager about screen time.

Trump is reportedly poised to sign an executive order aimed at shrinking the department, with the stated goal of "turning over education to families instead of bureaucracies," according to a White House fact sheet. The move is part of his broader push to decentralize federal control over education, a stance he's championed since his 2024 presidential campaign.

But here's the catch: the Department of Education, established back in 1979 under President Jimmy Carter, was created through legislation. To undo that, Congress would need to pass a new law dismantling it. And as history shows, this isn't the first time Republicans have wanted the department gone; former President Ronald Reagan was a vocal critic of federal involvement in education.

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., has already reintroduced legislation to abolish the department, proposing an end date of December 31, 2026. However, as legal expert Andrew Stoltmann points out, this ambitious plan would require a supermajority in the Senate—60 votes, to be exact. "Even if Trump follows through, he has to pull in some Democrats in the Senate, and that will likely be impossible," Stoltmann noted. Well, 'likely impossible' sums up much of modern politics, doesn’t it?

Critics argue that dismantling the department could disrupt consistent national education guidelines and federal funding allocations. Jamie E. Wright, a political analyst, remarked that opposition from Congress could derail the initiative, particularly from those who view the department as essential for ensuring equity in education.

Trump has tapped Education Secretary Linda McMahon to oversee the process, though she herself admitted during her confirmation hearing that congressional approval would be required. "We'd like to do this right," McMahon stated, emphasizing the administration's need to present a plan that could win bipartisan support.

In the meantime, the administration has already begun scaling back the department's operations. This includes slashing diversity, equity, and inclusion grants and cutting nearly half the workforce. Savannah Newhouse, a Department of Education spokesperson, framed these moves as an effort to return education authority to the states, arguing that decisions should be "closest to students."

For context, the current role of the Department of Education includes managing federal student loans, financial aid, and enforcing nondiscrimination policies. However, Newhouse underscored that it doesn't control school curricula, determine teacher pay, or serve as the primary source of school funding—common misconceptions, she said.

The political and logistical hurdles to this plan are immense, but Trump seems determined to push forward. Whether this is a bold step toward education reform or a recipe for chaos will likely depend on your perspective—and, of course, on whether Congress decides to play along.