Press Releases
03/20/2025
Attorney General Tong Statement on Trump Executive Order Dismantling Department of Education
(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong issued the following statement regarding the executive order issued by President Donald Trump today ordering the dismantling of the Department of Education.Attorney General Tong and a coalition of 20 other attorneys general last week sued to block efforts by the Trump Administration to fire more than 50 percent of the Department of Education’s workforce in an effort to ultimately dismantle and incapacitate the department. Today’s order is the latest illegal effort by the Trump Administration to undermine American education and hurt our kids.
“This is a reckless assault on our kids and schools across America. On funding for special education. For teachers. For school buses. For college financial aid. Donald Trump and Linda McMahon say they will just send this money to the states. I don’t believe that for a single second. They have zero plan and no authorization to do that, and they want to get rid of all the people who would be responsible for making that happen. We know where this money is really going—to billionaire tax breaks and Cybertrucks for diplomats. The simple truth is they just don’t care what happens to schools and kids and teachers in this country. We’ve already sued, and we are reviewing this lawless action now and I am prepared to do whatever it takes to protect our kids,” said Attorney General Tong.
The Department is an executive agency authorized by Congress, with numerous different laws creating its various programs and funding streams. The lawsuit filed by Attorney General Tong asserts that the Executive Branch does not have the legal authority to unilaterally incapacitate or dismantle it without an act of Congress.
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