President Donald Trump is considering taking steps to eliminate the Department of Education in a move to significantly reduce the size of the federal government. White House officials have reportedly prepared an executive order directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to begin the process of dismantling the department, although final plans have not been confirmed. While Trump has long expressed his desire to close the department, complete elimination would require congressional action, according to McMahon. The administration is also drafting an order to launch the closure process and intends to urge Congress to pass legislation to abolish the department. Despite past calls to abolish or merge the Education Department with another agency, such efforts have historically lacked congressional support. Trump has linked his stance on the department to federal overreach and cultural issues, vowing to “drain the government education swamp” and prevent the alleged misuse of taxpayer dollars for youth education. Even if the department were to be eliminated, certain programs and funding could potentially be preserved and transferred to other agencies, as they existed before the department’s establishment in 1979. Notably, federal funding programs supporting K-12 education for low-income students and those with disabilities predate the Department of Education’s creation.