On Thursday, US President Donald Trump signed an order aimed at “eliminating” the Department of Education, a goal long held by the American right.
Surrounded by schoolchildren in the East Room of the White House, Trump proudly displayed the order after signing it at a special ceremony. He declared that the order would shut down the department “once and for all” and return education authority to individual states.
The move, which honors a campaign promise, is one of the most drastic steps in Trump’s government overhaul with the help of tech tycoon Elon Musk.
The order directs Education Secretary Linda McMahon to facilitate the department’s closure and return power to states. Democrats and educators have criticized the move as a “tyrannical power grab,” while Republican leaders were in attendance at the signing ceremony.
Trump claims the move is necessary to save money and improve educational standards, but it has long been a contentious issue in America’s culture wars, with Republicans advocating for less federal control.
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