The Trump administration is reportedly drafting an executive order aimed at diminishing and potentially eliminating the United States Department of Education.

Sources familiar with the initiative indicate that the order would instruct the Secretary of Education to create a strategy for reducing the department's influence through executive measures.

Legislative action from Congress would be necessary to fully disband the department, as its closure requires formal approval.

President Trump has expressed a desire for his nominee for Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, to effectively ‘put herself out of a job’ by minimizing the department's operations.

McMahon, who previously served as the head of the Small Business Administration, is yet to undergo her confirmation hearing.

The proposal to eliminate or merge the Department of Education has been a persistent issue in U.S. politics, although prior attempts have failed to secure the necessary Congressional support.

During President Trump’s first term, there was a proposal to merge the Departments of Education and Labor, a plan that did not progress despite the Republican party holding majorities in both chambers of Congress.

Additionally, the Department of Government Efficiency, which is led by Elon Musk, is similarly focusing on the Department of Education as part of a broader reform of the federal workforce.

Earlier actions taken by the Trump administration included placing dozens of employees from the Education Department on paid administrative leave, particularly those involved with diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility programs.

President Trump has been vocal in his critiques of federal involvement in education, particularly opposing taxpayer funding for public schools.

He has suggested that U.S. education expenditure is excessively high concerning its outcomes and advocates for increased local control over educational systems, underscoring the need for states to manage their educational frameworks.

Should the Department of Education be successfully dissolved, it is likely that some of its educational programs and funding could be distributed to other federal agencies.

Before the establishment of the department in 1979, various education-related programs were managed across multiple federal agencies.

Funding programs for K-12 education, including those aimed at supporting low-income students and children with disabilities, predate the formation of the education department.

Historically, proposals aimed at cutting the budget of the Education Department have faced substantial opposition in Congress, with lawmakers frequently augmenting the funding beyond the president's requests.

An analysis by the Brookings Institution revealed that Congressional overrides of presidential budget cuts to the department occurred approximately 71% of the time.