Congress Rejects Trump's Bid to Dismantle Education Department

Lawmakers fully fund the agency despite White House efforts to cut its budget and programs.

Published on Feb. 8, 2026

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Despite the Trump administration's ongoing efforts to dismantle the Education Department, Congress has just fully funded the agency in its latest appropriations bill. The bipartisan deal represents a rebuke of the White House's crusade to curb the federal role in education policy, underscoring the political limitations and logistical difficulties of trying to eliminate an agency with deeply entrenched functions relied upon by states, schools, and students across the country.

Why it matters

The Education Department implements widely popular programs that protect students with disabilities, help schools hire counselors, and make college more affordable. Eliminating the agency would require an act of Congress, which has never been easy despite longstanding efforts by some Republicans. This latest funding deal highlights the challenges the Trump administration faces in fulfilling its goal of dismantling the department.

The details

The annual appropriations bills signed into law by President Trump on February 3rd fully retained spending for many of the Education Department's programs, including special education and afterschool activities. Even programs the Trump administration has tried to cut or ignore were supported at roughly their usual levels, totaling around $80 billion for fiscal year 2026. This bipartisan dealmaking represented a rebuke of the White House's stated crusade to curb the federal role in education policy.

  • On February 3, 2026, President Trump signed the annual appropriations bills that fully funded the Education Department.
  • In November 2025, Education Secretary Linda McMahon announced six "interagency agreements" to detail many department employees over to other federal agencies, beginning a restructuring of the agency.

The players

Donald Trump

The former president who has been trying to dismantle the Education Department.

Linda McMahon

The current Education Secretary who has been implementing layoffs and restructuring efforts to break up the agency.

Pramila Jayapal

A Democratic Congresswoman who was familiar with the funding negotiations and previously served on the House's education committee.

Sarah Abernathy

The executive director of the nonprofit Committee for Education Funding.

Rachel Gittleman

The president of the union for Education Department workers.

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What they’re saying

“My key takeaway is that Congress rejected virtually everything that the president requested.”

— Sarah Abernathy, Executive Director, Committee for Education Funding (USA TODAY)

“One of the big challenges was how do we stop the administration from either misusing the money we give them, impounding it or rescinding it. By being much more specific about what we're doing with the money and what we intend for it, it should give us more leverage in the courts and elsewhere.”

— Pramila Jayapal, Congresswoman (USA TODAY)

“We will continue to deliver successes through these partnerships, further solidifying the proof of concept that interagency agreements provide the same protections, higher quality outcomes, and even more benefits for students, grantees, and other education stakeholders.”

— Savannah Newhouse, Education Department Press Secretary (USA TODAY)

What’s next

The Trump administration will be required to brief Congress biweekly on the Education Department's ongoing efforts to move its offices and programs to other federal agencies. Democrats hope this will provide more accountability and oversight over the administration's restructuring plans.

The takeaway

This funding deal represents a bipartisan rebuke of the Trump administration's efforts to dismantle the Education Department, highlighting the political and logistical challenges of eliminating an agency with deeply entrenched functions that are relied upon by states, schools, and students across the country.