Education Department fires almost 50% of workforce

The Department of Education (DOE), led by Secretary Linda McMahon, sent mass firing emails to roughly 1,315 employees (nearly 50%) on Tuesday evening, leaving 2,183 workers unaffected.

According to ABC News, the email stated that affected employees must leave by March 21 and will continue receiving full pay and benefits until June 9.

DOE Secretary McMahon framed the move as a push for efficiency, emphasizing that resources should go “where they matter most.”

However, the cuts will result in major office closures in Washington DC, San Francisco, New York and Chicago. Critics, including National Education Association President Becky Pringle, condemned the decision as an abandonment of students and educators.

The layoffs align with President Donald Trump’s plan to issue an executive order to dismantle the DOE and shift oversight to individual states.