Trump Administration Orders Major Education Department Layoffs Amid Cost-Cutting Plan

The U.S. Department of Education will lay off nearly half its workforce as part of President Donald Trump’s aggressive government downsizing. The move aligns with Trump’s long-standing goal of eliminating the department, which oversees $1.6 trillion in student loans and enforces school civil rights laws.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon confirmed on Fox News that the department’s closure is in progress. Staff reductions will leave only 2,183 employees, down from 4,133 at the start of Trump’s presidency. Employees affected by the cuts will be placed on administrative leave starting March 21.

The layoffs come as agencies rush to meet Trump’s Thursday deadline for large-scale staff reductions. Led by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the administration has already cut over 100,000 federal jobs, frozen foreign aid, and canceled numerous programs, triggering legal battles and public backlash.

To facilitate voluntary departures, agencies are offering buyouts of up to $25,000 before tax and relaxed early retirement options. The Office of Personnel Management, Social Security Administration, and FDA are among those implementing these measures. The Securities and Exchange Commission has gone further, offering bonuses of up to $50,000.

Despite criticism from unions and lawmakers, the administration remains committed to mass layoffs. The Department of Veterans Affairs plans to cut 80,000 jobs, while NOAA is set to eliminate over 1,000 positions.

Legal challenges and public opposition continue to mount as agencies scramble to finalize plans. However, Trump recently reassured department heads that they, not Musk, hold final authority over staffing decisions.

With the March 12 deadline looming, agencies must submit job-cutting plans to OPM, setting the stage for the next wave of federal workforce reductions.