The Department of Education’s role in distributing billions in federal funding could help hold colleges accountable and steer students toward success. Today, it is being rocked by gigantic changes thanks to the Trump administration. This administration has cut the department’s staff in half. Yet in addition to undergoing operational upheavals, students—especially those with disabilities as well as low-income or homeless children—have faced drastic changes in service. Meanwhile, Elon Musk is reportedly visiting the Pentagon on Friday for a briefing, though the nature of this meeting has sparked controversy and speculation.
The Department of Education manages a vast federal student loan portfolio and plays an essential regulatory role in ensuring educational services' quality and accessibility. Under the leadership of the current administration, radical changes have taken place. For example, they severely crippled the Institute of Education Sciences, which is responsible for collecting data on the nation’s academic progress. These actions have faced criticism from public interest advocates, industry stakeholders, and intelligence experts alike, signaling the dangerous precedent of the administration’s nonchalant approach to governance.
The Trump administration has gone after law firms that have done bad legal work against their agenda in the past. One such example was an order that ultimately did not actively suspend, but threatened to suspend, active security clearances of attorneys at Paul, Weiss. The firm committed to delivering $40 million in pro bono legal services. In response, the administration withdrew the order.
In side-by-side, concurrent developments, Elon Musk’s “department of government efficiency” has been key in slashing many wasteful, and defined as such, contracts. This department has played a critical role in the administration’s drive to shrink the size of government. Unfortunately, Musk’s imminent visit to the Pentagon will be clouded by a fog of misinformation. Some analysis suggests he may broach the recent US-China military flashpoint. But this has been flatly denied by both Donald Trump and the Pentagon.
"China will not even be mentioned or discussed." – Donald Trump
"We look forward to welcoming @elonmusk to the Pentagon tomorrow. But the fake news delivers again — this is NOT a meeting about 'top secret China war plans.' It's an informal meeting about innovation, efficiencies & smarter production. Gonna be great!" – Pete Hegseth
The Department of Education’s overhaul is part of a larger effort by the Trump administration to drastically change federal agencies. The overall decline in staff and services deeply undercuts the American Promise of a quality education for all. Critics fear that these alterations will put the department in a position where it cannot execute its mandate—to protect all Americans—successfully.