Trump Gets Unexpected Praise
Rep. Mark Harris (R-N.C.) recently highlighted that President Trump’s efforts in the 2024 campaign have sparked a growing push among Republicans to drastically reduce the size of the Department of Education. According to Harris, the President effectively made the case that the department has failed to deliver results, especially when it comes to improving education across the country.
In an interview with NewsNation’s “The Hill,” Harris discussed the shift in Republican sentiment regarding the Department of Education. Just a year ago, 60 GOP lawmakers voted against a proposal to abolish the department. However, after seeing the continued struggles in public education, many Republicans are now more open to cutting down its workforce or even eliminating it entirely.
Harris pointed to dismal test scores and the overall failure of the Department of Education to meet the needs of students. He stressed that the Trump administration’s push to reform the department resonated with the public, as Americans are increasingly frustrated by the bureaucratic inefficiency and lack of accountability at the federal level.
“The President has done an incredible job making the case that the Department of Education has not been effective in improving education,” Harris remarked. “Instead of more top-down federal control, we should return power to the states and local school boards, where decisions can be made more efficiently and directly to benefit our children.” Harris also emphasized that education should be governed by those closest to the communities it serves, advocating for a decentralized approach to better address local needs.
As part of the ongoing restructuring, the Department of Education has started making significant staff cuts, with 1,315 employees notified of layoffs. This reduction brings the total number of employees down to approximately 2,183, reflecting President Trump’s continued call for a smaller federal government. Many Republicans now see this as a necessary step to align education policy with local control and accountability.
