At least 55 Education Department employees received an email Friday notifying them that they were being placed on paid leave effective immediately, pursuant to Trump's executive order. Those placed on leave have lost access to their government email accounts and were told not to report to the office. While the exact reasons for the paid leave are unknown, most of the affected workers appear to have taken a voluntary diversity training seminar offered by the department.

Expelling the DOE?

Meanwhile, according to the Wall Street Journal, Trump administration officials are weighing an executive order to dismantle the Department of Education – with DOGE head Elon Musk leading the charge as part of his mission to shrink federal agencies and shrink the government.

The officials have discussed an executive order that would shut down all functions of the agency that aren't written explicitly into statute or move certain functions to other departments, according to people familiar with the matter. The order would call for developing a legislative proposal to abolish the department, the people said. Trump's advisers are debating the specifics of the order and the timing, the people said. -WSJ

Trump's team is reportedly hashing out when and how to pull the trigger, with some advisors urging patience until Education Secretary nominee Linda McMahon gets through her Senate confirmation – with the White House's recent freeze on federal assistance causing headaches for other nominations, officials are treading carefully.

According to the report, DOGE employees have been working out of the department's headquarters in Washington

While Trump may be able to pare down the Department of Education, completely abolishing it would require an act of Congress – so no chance that will happen anytime soon. During his first term, Trump unsuccessfully tried to merge the departments of education and labor.

Last week Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) introduced a bill to abolish the Education Department by 2026, arguing that "Unelected bureaucrats in Washington, D.C., should not be in charge of our children's intellectual and moral development," adding "States and local communities are best positioned to shape curricula that meet the needs of their students."