Supreme Court Approves Trump Plan to Cut Education Department Jobs

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in favor of the Trump administration’s controversial plan to lay off nearly 1,400 employees at the Department of Education, a move critics warn could severely undermine public education nationwide.

The court’s decision, released Monday, overturns previous rulings by lower courts that blocked the mass firings. The conservative-majority court concluded that President Donald Trump has the constitutional authority to implement these staffing cuts as part of his broader effort to reduce the size and role of the federal government.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon praised the decision, calling it a “win for students and families” and framing it as a mandate from voters who support Trump’s education reforms.

“This ruling affirms the president’s right to reshape the department in line with the authorities granted to him by the Constitution,” McMahon said in a statement.

Previously, a U.S. District Court had ruled in May that such cuts would likely “cripple the department.” The U.S. Court of Appeals agreed in June, arguing the move would make it “effectively impossible” for the department to fulfill its legal responsibilities, including overseeing federal student loan programs and enforcing civil rights protections in schools.

Critics Warn of Long-Term Impact

Opponents of the decision argue it represents a dangerous expansion of executive power. They warn that the cuts could lead to the effective dismantling of the Department of Education, threatening the federal government’s ability to ensure equal access to education.

A liberal legal group that helped challenge the layoffs called the ruling a “devastating blow to this nation’s promise of public education for all children.”

The Trump administration has long targeted federal agencies it sees as misaligned with its agenda, portraying them as bloated and ideologically hostile. The Department of Education has been a key focus, particularly amid ongoing political battles over school curricula, civil rights enforcement, and student activism.

In recent months, Trump and his allies have escalated efforts to impose tighter controls on U.S. universities. Federal funding has been threatened in cases where institutions refuse to curb pro-Palestinian student activism or comply with new curriculum mandates.

A Broader Push to Reshape Government

Monday’s ruling fits into a broader strategy by the Trump administration to centralize executive authority and roll back federal oversight in areas like education, health, and the environment. Critics argue that this approach risks destabilizing essential services and weakening protections that have long been upheld by federal agencies.

With this latest decision, the Supreme Court has signaled support for a more expansive interpretation of presidential power, setting the stage for further conflicts over the role of federal institutions under Trump’s leadership.

Source: Al Jazeera