A security guard strolls by the U.S. Department of Education headquarters in Washington, D.C., on March 12, 2025.
Nathan Howard | Reuters
A collective of Democratic state attorneys general initiated a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Thursday regarding the administration’s effort to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education and the termination of nearly half of the agency’s workforce.
Attorneys general from 20 states along with the District of Columbia launched this legal challenge due to the administration’s dismissal of over 1,300 employees at the department.
“The layoffs represent a significant dismantling of the Department,” stated the state AGs.
“[The] Department’s authority to manage [Reductions in Force] does not supersede Congress’s exclusive jurisdiction to abolish executive agencies or cease their operations,” they further asserted.
Being a body authorized by Congress, the Department of Education cannot be eliminated without congressional consent. However, the Trump administration can gradually undermine it by reducing its resources.
The lawsuit names President Donald Trump, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, and the U.S. Department of Education as defendants.
There was no immediate response from the White House or the Education Department to CNBC’s request for comments.
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On Tuesday, McMahon mentioned on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” that efforts to deconstruct the agency are “moving forward as swiftly as possible.”
The Education Department oversees the nation’s more than $1.6 trillion student loan portfolio, allocates funding for educational institutions, and safeguards civil rights.
This story is developing. Please return for further updates.
