McMahon wants to 'fire' herself, telling Congress the Education Department is not needed

U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon has doubled down on closing the Department of Education, saying she wants to prove to Congress that the federal agency she leads is no longer necessary — even if that means, in her own words, firing herself.

'Signing these interagency agreements means, in fact, that the Department of Education is contracting with these agencies to perform the functions that they've been given,' McMahon told Fox News Digital. 'The first big block of work was transferred over to the Department of Labor.'

The backdrop is Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign promise to eliminate the Department of Education. Trump later signed an executive order directing his administration to begin dismantling the agency.

As part of that effort, the Department of Labor is taking on a major role in the day-to-day administration of adult education, family literacy, and career and technical education (CTE) programs under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and the Perkins Act. While Labor manages operational duties, the Department of Education retains statutory responsibilities and oversight, while shifting services to states and grant recipients.

'It started first with CTE — Career and Technical Education — then K–12, and finally higher education as well,' McMahon said.

Her central argument is that federal support for students will not falter without a standalone cabinet department, and she wants to demonstrate that to lawmakers.

'I've asked Congress with this proof of concept in these interagency agreements: Let me prove to you that it works,' she said. 'Ultimately, Congress has to vote if we do close the Department of Education and if I, in fact, am able to fire myself. Hopefully, they will vote [for it], because I believe the outcome will be better for students — and that is the goal. That is certainly the president's goal.'

The agency has taken another major step by partnering with the Department of the Treasury, which agreed to take over key operations related to federal student loans and collections on defaulted debt.

According to Department of Education officials, the student loan partnership with Treasury and the workforce initiative with Labor are part of a broader series of interagency agreements. The goal is to demonstrate a 'proof of concept' to Congress that essential federal education functions and funding flows can be successfully reallocated across executive branch agencies without disruption.

'I call it my proof of concept to show Congress that it works, that the money still gets to schools and to students where they need it,' McMahon told Fox News Digital. 'Some of the programs in the Department of Education were being duplicated in other agencies, or handled better elsewhere,' she added. 'So let's be efficient. Let's make sure the money gets where it needs to go, let's measure that by student outcomes, and let's hold teachers and administrators accountable for what they're doing.'

Andrew Gillen, a higher education policy research fellow at the Cato Institute, told Fox News Digital that shifting major core duties like student loans and formula grants marks a substantial change from previous interagency agreements, which historically focused on minor administrative support.

McMahon previously argued during the government shutdown that the department acts primarily as a pass-through entity for federal money, contending that its day-to-day functions are nonessential. 'Congress appropriates the funds. The funds come through the Department of Education, and some of that funding still goes to other agencies to get to students and schools,' she said. 'Primarily, the money was passed through the Department of Education to then get to the states and local authorities for education.'

The administration is also reducing the department's footprint. The department announced earlier this year that it had moved out of the Lyndon B. Johnson Department of Education building so the Department of Energy could move in by August — a step officials call a prudent move to save hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars and further reduce the federal education bureaucracy.

Alongside that, the department launched a process allowing states to seek greater flexibility in using federal education funds and reducing administrative burdens. Iowa became the first state to participate, after the department sent states a letter in July 2025 encouraging them to apply for the waiver, which would give state education officials more discretion over federal dollars and reduce compliance costs.

The decision now rests with Congress — whether McMahon's 'proof of concept' persuades lawmakers will determine the future of the Department of Education, and of the secretary's own job as well.