The latest in a string of broad measures, newly sworn US President Donald Trump on Wednesday demanded the immediate closure of the federal Department of Education, reiterating his intention to do so despite acknowledging the difficulty of the process.

Trump had previously indicated that he would attempt to close the department through an executive order. The Education Department, which manages a variety of educational support, employs more than 4,200 people, and had a budget of $251 billion in the most recent year, according to a Reuters report.

Donald Trump had previously indicated that he would try to eliminate the agency via executive order, but he acknowledged that backing from Congress and teachers' unions would be necessary to do this.

The research states that there are repercussions to the proposed shutdown, including the possibility of interrupting billions of dollars in financing for K–12 schools and college tuition support programs.

Trump's efforts to change US govt ops

The declaration is the most recent in a string of moves made by Donald Trump as part of his larger plan to implement significant reforms to the way the US government operates in his first few weeks in office.

Donald Trump has prioritized decreasing expenses and the size of the federal workforce, encouraging government workers to quit or return to office work, and focusing on closing organizations like the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

President Trump reiterated his long-standing criticism of the Department of Education by telling reporters, "The Department of Education's a big con job," according to Reuters. The elimination of the agency was to be supervised by Linda McMahon, Donald Trump's choice for secretary of education.

Having brought up the topic during his first term, which ran from 2017 to 2021, this is the second time Donald Trump has suggested dismantling the Education Department.

However, Congress took no action on his earlier recommendations. Conservative think tanks calling for the department's dissolution have proposed that oversight and management of educational aid programs be taken on by other organizations.