According to Reuters, the US Department of Education will lay off nearly half of its staff. This could be a precursor to the department's complete closure.
The cuts are part of the department's "final mission," the press release said, referring to Trump's promise to eliminate the department. The department oversees $1.6 trillion in student loans, enforces civil rights laws in schools, and provides financial assistance to low-income districts.
In an interview with Fox News, Education Secretary Linda McMahon, when asked whether these cuts would lead to the department's dissolution, said "yes," emphasizing that this is "the president's order." As a result of the cuts, the department will have 2,183 employees instead of the previous 4,133.
