Trump Wants to Abolish the Education Department. What Comes Next?

WSJ What’s News

The Wall Street Journal

Daily News, News

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🗓️ 16 February 2025

⏱️ 14 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

President Trump has repeatedly said he wants to eliminate the federal Department of Education. Last week his nominee to lead the department, Linda McMahon, was grilled by senators about the plan at her confirmation hearing. WSJ education reporter Matt Barnum and national political reporter Ken Thomas discuss how Trump might follow through on his plan, the legal and political hurdles it could face, and what the impact would be on states and schools. Alex Ossola hosts. Further Reading: New Restraints at Education Department Jam Civil Rights Enforcement Trump Wants to End the Education Department. Here’s What That Means. Trump Advisers Weigh Plan to Dismantle Education Department Trump Says Musk’s DOGE Will Investigate Education Department, Pentagon American Kids Are Getting Even Worse at Reading, Test Scores Show Linda McMahon: Education Department Can’t Shut Down Without Congress Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	This episode is sponsored by Northern Trust Wealth Management.
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0:31.3	Hey, What's News listeners. It's Sunday, February 16th. I'm Alex Oslo for the Wall Street Journal.
0:37.0	This is What's News Sunday,
0:38.5	the show where we tackle the big questions about the biggest stories in the news by reaching
0:42.3	out to our colleagues across the newsroom to help explain what's happening in our world.
0:46.6	This week, President Trump wants to close the Education Department. Can he succeed? And what would
0:52.4	happen if he did?
0:55.9	The Federal Department of Education was established in 1980, and pretty much since then,
1:01.1	conservatives have wanted to get rid of it. President Trump has run with the idea, both as a candidate
1:06.2	and since returning to the White House. A reporter asked him about it in the Oval Office just this past week.
1:12.1	I assume do you want the Department of Education to be closed? Oh, I'd like it to be closed immediately.
1:17.3	Look, the Department of Education's a big con job. A move like this one might not be so simple to pull off.
1:23.9	To talk about it, I'm joined by National political reporter Ken Thomas and education reporter Matt Barnum.
1:30.2	Ken, I want to start us off with something really basic.
1:33.2	What does the federal education department actually do?
1:36.4	Yeah, the department has a long history.
	...

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