Education Nominee McMahon Tells Warren and Kim She “Wholeheartedly” Agrees with Trump’s Plan to Abolish Department of Education

Text of Questions for the Record (PDF)
Washington, D.C. –Today, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Andy Kim (D-N.J.), member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, released responses to Committee questions for the record from Donald Trump’s pick for Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, in which McMahon states that she “wholeheartedly” agrees with Trump’s plans to abolish the Department of Education (ED).
“President Trump believes that the bureaucracy in Washington should be abolished so that we can return education to the states, where it belongs. I wholeheartedly support and agree with this mission,”wrote McMahon.
This response was not the only troubling answer from Ms. McMahon. She also refused to commit to preserving ED’s role in carrying out any of its present responsibilities, including:
Notably, McMahon also appeared to support the Trump Administration's funding freeze, which continues to cause chaos across the country, stating that “Every Administration has the right to review all funding obligations and ensure that funding is being distributed in a way that aligns with both Congressional intent and the priorities of the duly elected President of the United States.”
“Linda McMahon has made herself clear: as Secretary of Education, she will do whatever Donald Trump asks her to do—including abolishing the entire department, which supports millions of students trying to receive an education,”said Senator Warren. “Confirming her as Education Secretary would be a disaster for students and teachers in all 50 states.”
“Linda McMahon has made clear her top responsibility is complete and total loyalty to President Trump, including her openness to dissolve the very department she would be confirmed to run,”said Senator Kim. “As the administration’s illegal funding freeze threatens already scarce resources for schools and critical programs, her blind loyalty is dangerous. Instead of treating education as a public good that is a foundation for our society, the Trump administration is trying to demonize it and change it in ways that will leave many children vulnerable. We cannot let them.”
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