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Did Trump Just Abolish the Department of Education?

On Thursday, President Donald Trump signed a long-awaited executive order that attempts to begin the dismantling of the Department of Education. But since only Congress can officially abolish the department, it's unclear how much effect Trump's order will have on the status quo.

"The experiment of controlling American education through Federal programs and dollars—and the unaccountable bureaucracy those programs and dollars support—has plainly failed our children, our teachers, and our families," the executive order reads. "While the Department of Education does not educate anyone, it maintains a public relations office that includes over 80 staffers at a cost of more than $10 million per year."

The order directs Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to, with "the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law, take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education." While the directive is vague, actions McMahon has already taken—specifically, firing or buying out half the department's staff—suggest how she might attempt to grind the department's functions to a halt.

McMahon is also light on specifics. In a Thursday statement, she assured Americans that "closing the Department does not mean cutting off funds from those who depend on them—we will continue to support K-12 students, students with special needs, college student borrowers, and others who rely on essential programs."