‘Education Micromanagement’: Linda McMahon Addresses Key Education Issue

Secretary of Education Linda McMahon addressed federal funding and “education micromanagement” at a White House Press Briefing on Thursday.

“We’re not ending federal support for education,” McMahon said. “We’re ending education micromanagement. The Department of Education does not educate a single student.”

At Thursday’s press briefing, McMahon further clarified the misconception currently held by many Democratic lawmakers — including Democratic Minnesota Governor Tim Walz — that President Trump plans to defund education. McMahon reiterated that the Trump administration is focused on ending the bureaucratic, non-educational agency that has failed to improve national reading or math scores for decades.

Walz had posted to X on Tuesday, “Gutting the Department of Education and defunding our public schools threatens that promise for every child in the nation.”

McMahon initially responded to Walz with a post of her own, writing, “The good news for you, Governor, is that federal funding for education CONTINUES to flow.”

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also defended the administration’s plan to close the Department of Education, pointing out the recent furlough of 90% of the agency’s staff as proof that the department is unnecessary.

“The Department of Education furloughed 90% of its staff, and it did not affect schools whatsoever,” said Leavitt.

With only 10% of its staff still working, institutions from preschool to college remained fully open and all teachers received their paychecks, making “it painfully obvious that American families do not need a Department of Education.”

Education Secretary Linda McMahon joined Leavitt at the podium to reinforce the message.

“The Department of Education does not educate a single student,” said McMahon.

She rejected claims that Trump wants to “defund education,” clarifying that the administration’s goal is to return control of schools to the states — not eliminate education itself.

The Department of Education was established by President Jimmy Carter in 1979. McMahon argued that after decades of federal oversight, students have yet to see the benefits.

“Since the 1970s, math and reading scores are down in public schools,” said McMahon. “It’s clear throwing money at a broken system does not work.”

McMahon cited troubling statistics: Only 3 out of 10 students can read proficiently at the third-grade level, college students are collectively $1.7 trillion in debt, and about half of college graduates work in fields unrelated to their expensive degrees.

In an effort to reset American education, McMahon launched a 50-state tour to meet with students, teachers, parents, and community leaders to identify what’s working on the ground.

Her conclusion so far: “The best education comes from those closest to the student. Education is local, and it should be overseen locally.” She added that President Trump shares this view and campaigned on returning control of education to the states.

While McMahon is working to shrink the Department of Education, former President Joe Biden’s Education Secretary sought to expand it.

Biden’s Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona requested $82.4 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Education, reflecting a 4% increase from the previous year.

Unlike Cardona, McMahon did not request a budget increase. Instead, she focused on tightening the department’s operations, reporting earlier this year that the department uncovered nearly $90 million in misused taxpayer dollars.

The Trump administration anticipates further savings from reducing redundancies by streamlining agency administration and shifting crucial Department of Education responsibilities to other federal agencies.

Ultimately, McMahon hopes that through this plan, “America’s next generation will look back on the work we’ve carried out [and be] thankful for an education system that prioritizes students over bureaucracy.”