Trump cuts the Education Department in half after cutting off 1,300 employees
The Trump administration is reducing the employment of the United States Department of Education by roughly half through a combination of mass layoffs and voluntary buyouts, officials announced Tuesday.
More than 1,300 Education Department employees got termination notifications on Tuesday after 572 accepted buyouts given in recent weeks in exchange for resignations. The cuts will reduce the department from 4,133 employees when President Donald Trump began his second term in January to 2,183.
The huge cuts come as Trump considers an executive order aiming to abolish the agency and as all government departments and agencies prepare for “large-scale reductions in force” ahead of a Thursday deadline set by Trump.
Linda McMahon, the newly appointed education secretary, described the firings as a “significant step towards restoring the greatness of the United States educational system.”
“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,” she said in a statement issued Tuesday night. “I appreciate the work of the dedicated public servants and their contributions to the department.”
She underscored that the agency would continue to provide the funding required by law. She stated that federal student loans, Pell Grants, and support for students with impairments would remain.
However, she also stated that the layoffs touch all of the department’s divisions, including the offices in charge of the initiatives she claims will be protected.
An administration official earlier told USA TODAY that approximately 2,100 people had been terminated, but this figure included employees who accepted buyouts as well as those who were put off.
An email issued to staff at 1 p.m. on Tuesday told workers at offices in Washington, D.C., to leave by 6 p.m. “for security reasons.” The email, obtained by USA TODAY, stated that all Education Department buildings in the nation’s capital and throughout the country will be closed on Wednesday and reopened on Thursday.
The statement provided no other information on the reasons for the one-day closures, and Education Department representatives did not immediately reply to questions on Tuesday.
A representative for the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department stated on Tuesday that law enforcement was unaware of security concerns at the Education Department’s main headquarters, also known as the Federal Student Aid office. A spokeswoman for the city’s Fire and Emergency Medical Service Department confirmed that no problems had been registered at the locations.
Some employees felt the shutdown was tied to an upcoming labour reduction, according to four employees who declined to be identified for fear of retaliation. On February 28, an agency-wide email offering $25,000 buyouts warned of “very significant” layoffs to the agency’s employment.
Sheria Smith, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 252, a union that represents over 2,800 Education Department employees, blasted the cuts as “draconian” in a statement on Tuesday.
“Do you need financial assistance for college? Are you a fellow civil servant who benefits from student loan forgiveness? Does your school district use federal funds to offset property taxes? If so, you rely on the Department of Education, and the programs and workers who provide them are under threat,” she stated.
The Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk, a prominent White House adviser, coordinated the dramatic cuts. DOGE has campaigned across the federal government to reduce what it considers “waste, fraud, and abuse.”
Trump lacks the unilateral authority to dissolve federal agencies. To close the Education Department, which has statutorily protected functions, Congressional consent would be required.
