Laila Kirkpatrick, Staff Writer
President Trump is expected to issue an executive order as early as Thursday calling for the Department of Education to be shut down and for Education Secretary, Linda McMahon to, “take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education.” This was something that has been expected since February and is something that Trump has mentioned throughout his campaign.
This move came shortly after McMahon was confirmed as education secretary. Democrats uniformly opposed her nomination after McMahon publicly committed to shutting down the department. The executive order will most likely instruct McMahon to act, “to the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law.” An acknowledgment that the department and its signature responsibilities were created by Congress, are protected by statute and are unable to be changed without the approval of Congress. This would almost certainly require 60 votes to overcome a potential filibuster by the Democrats.
