Donald Trump has once again shaken the American political chessboard with a decision that, although long anticipated by his most conservative followers, does not fail to provoke bewilderment, legal opposition and social concern. Last Thursday, the president signed an executive order to begin dismantling the U.S. Department of Education, an institution created in 1979 under Democrat Jimmy Carter.

“We’re going to shut it down, and shut it down as quickly as possible,” Trump said from the East Room of the White House, surrounded by children sitting at school desks. This was reported by The New York Times, which stressed that, although the president can limit its operation through cuts, the total closure can only be approved by Congress, since the Department was created by law.

With this move, Trump seeks to position himself as the president who finally puts an end to what many conservatives have considered a useless bureaucracy. As reported by the BBC, the president accuses the Department of being responsible for "staggering failures" and of having served as a vehicle to indoctrinate young people on racial, sexual and political issues.

The same British network stressed that, despite the inflammatory rhetoric, education in the United States continues to be controlled mainly by state and local authorities, and that only 13% of funding for primary and secondary schools comes from the federal government.

Trump's intention is to "return the money to the states", and to transfer certain functions of the Department of Education to other agencies, such as the Treasury Department. However, the text of the executive order does not specify which programs will be eliminated or how the redistribution will be carried out, as detailed by the BBC.

Less bureaucracy is the goal

The offensive is part of a broader project to cut the size of the federal government, promoted by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an initiative that, according to the BBC, is overseen by billionaire Elon Musk. As part of these changes, more than 2,100 Department of Education employees will be placed on furlough, a figure that represents about half of the workforce.

According to The New York Times, the Trump administration had already cut $600 million in grants and dismantled key areas such as the Office for Civil Rights. Despite that, in his speech Trump said that functions considered "useful" will be retained, such as student loan management, special education funding and civil rights law enforcement.

Alarm and expectation

The impact of these changes is already being felt at the local level. CBS News picked up testimony from Philadelphia from educators such as Dr. Alicia Kennedy, director of special services at the Global Leadership Academy school, who said the situation creates "chaos and peril." Kennedy, who oversees special education for 125 children, explained that without federal funding it would be impossible to offer services such as hearing aids, speech therapy or hire specialized teachers. "I don't know where the funding will come from next month," she said.

The note also included the testimony of Jen Fisher, a parent of children receiving special education, who noted that without the Department's support, paying for these services would be "almost impossible".

At the state level, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said he is prepared to take legal action if the changes affect the flow of federal funds to his state's schools. As reported by the Philadelphia Inquirer, Shapiro - who has previously sued the Trump administration for freezing environmental funds - warned, “So if anybody tries to take anything from Pennsylvanians, particularly our students, they’ll have to go through me.”

Meanwhile, Republican leaders in the state expressed an opposing view. State Sen. Joe Pittman supported eliminating the bureaucracy, and Rep. Jesse Topper said in a television interview that, if the federal money comes unrestricted, "nobody in Pennsylvania is going to complain."

The battle ahead

Trump's decision is already facing an avalanche of criticism. Organizations such as the American Council on Education described the order as "political theater" and not a serious public policy, according to The New York Times. For its part, the powerful American Federation of Teachers expressed, in statements picked up by the BBC, that "a war against the woke cannot be used as an excuse to attack poor and disabled children."

In addition, several players in the education sector plan to take the case to court, arguing that the order violates the Constitution and the principles of separation of powers. In fact, according to The New York Times, some jurists are considering invoking a 2024 Supreme Court ruling that reinforces the authority of Congress in the face of unilateral interpretations by the Executive.

Even among Republicans there are doubts. In the previous session of Congress, a quarter of GOP representatives voted against a proposal to eliminate the Department. And although Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana announced he would introduce legislation to shut it down, the BBC warned that Republicans would need 60 votes in the Senate to pass such a measure, making its viability slim.

A high-risk bet?

Beyond its legal or legislative viability, Trump's decision opens a new ideological and political front in a country where public education already faces profound challenges: from post-pandemic academic lag to inequalities in access and educational quality.

As Frederick M. Hess, an analyst at the American Enterprise Institute, noted in dialogue with The New York Times, "We're going to have this great national debate without solving the practical problems. Because we're so focused on the conversation at 30,000 feet, we're not fixing what's really complicating the lives of parents and educators."

In other words, Trump's move represents a bold and symbolic bet that could redefine the federal government's role in education, but it also risks leaving millions of students in limbo if clear and workable solutions are not realized.