Trump cuts Department of Education staff by half

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The Department of Education underwent a massive staff reduction on Tuesday as the Trump administration laid off approximately half of its workforce, aligning with the president’s campaign promises to eliminate the department entirely.

According to an official statement, the agency implemented a “reduction in force” that placed roughly 50% of employees on administrative leave beginning March 21.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon released a statement emphasizing the department’s dedication to streamlining operations and resource allocation. “Today’s reduction in force reflects the Department of Education’s commitment to efficiency, accountability, and ensuring that resources are directed where they matter most: to students, parents, and teachers,” McMahon stated. “I appreciate the work of the dedicated public servants and their contributions to the Department. This is a significant step toward restoring the greatness of the United States education system.”

A Department of Education Civil Rights attorney is super upset over being fired.

Guess what? We don't care.

They didn't care how upset anyone was over the Keystone Pipeline that put 10,000 hardworking Americans out of a job. pic.twitter.com/QyXEuzwtTX

— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) March 12, 2025

The department characterized these dismissals as part of its “final mission,” with the restructuring affecting every division, though some will undergo more extensive reorganization than others. Despite the cuts, essential services like student loans, Pell Grants, and competitive grant programs will continue operating.

The agency’s workforce, which previously stood at 4,133 employees when Trump assumed office, has now diminished to 2,183. This reduction includes nearly 600 staff members who opted for voluntary retirement or resignation within the past seven weeks.

The department assured that affected employees would receive full compensation and benefits through June 9, along with severance packages or retirement benefits based on their service duration.

Only 25% of the 280 billion dollar budget of the Department of Education goes to the children. The rest goes to NGO’s and to feed the bureaucracy.

Giving control to the states saves us 100’s of billions and ends another Democrat money laundering scheme.

Thank you DJT and DOGE pic.twitter.com/OxbAEtvPpW

— Glockford Files (@GlockfordFiles) March 12, 2025

During his campaign, Trump consistently advocated for abolishing the Department of Education, a long-standing Republican objective. “I want to close up Department of Education, move education back to the states,” Trump said in August, per Fox News.

Trump expressed optimism about state-level education management, stating: “Of the 50 [states], I would bet that 35 would do great,” he said. “And 15 of them or, you know, 20 of them will be as good as Norway. You know, Norway is considered great.”

In a CNN interview, McMahon confirmed these layoffs represent the initial phase of dismantling the agency, stating, “[A]ctually it is, because that was the president’s mandate as directed to me clearly is to shut down the Department of Education.” She described the staff reductions as an effort to eliminate “bureaucratic bloat.”