The US Department of Education has announced plans to lay off nearly half of its staff, a move that could be a precursor to its closure as President Donald Trump has vowed to wind down the agency. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon confirmed that the layoffs will lead to the department’s dismantling, in line with the president’s directive. This will leave the department with 2,183 workers, down from 4,133 when Trump took office. The layoffs are part of Trump’s effort to downsize the government, led by Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency.
Before the layoffs were announced, the agency ordered offices in the Washington area to be closed for staff from Tuesday evening through Wednesday, citing security issues. This move is part of Trump’s larger campaign to reduce the size of the government, with all agencies ordered to come up with large-scale layoff plans by Thursday.
The layoffs have been met with condemnation from Democratic and progressive officials, with concerns raised about the impact on vital functions of the department, including civil rights enforcement in schools, college loans oversight, and federal funding for needy districts.
In other related news, President Trump’s trade war escalated with the imposition of 25% tariffs on all imported steel and aluminum. Additionally, the US House of Representatives passed a stopgap funding bill to avert a government shutdown, while Ukraine agreed to a 30-day ceasefire proposal and Canada’s prime minister-designate Mark Carney announced he would not lift retaliatory tariffs on American goods until the US does the same.
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