Headline: Education Secretary Linda McMahon Defends Proposed 15% Funding Cut for Department

Linda McMahon, who currently serves as the U.S. Secretary of Education in the Trump administration, defended the president's proposed budget cuts to the Education Department during a House appropriations subcommittee hearing on May 21, 2025. McMahon appeared before lawmakers to discuss the administration's "skinny budget" for fiscal year 2026, which calls for a significant 15% reduction in the department's funding, from approximately $80 billion to $66.7 billion. During the hearing, McMahon offered few specifics on how the Department of Education would consolidate funding streams and implement the proposed cuts. However, she repeatedly assured lawmakers that essential education funding would remain intact, even as the administration works toward its goal of eventually closing the agency. The budget proposal includes plans to consolidate 18 unspecified funding streams into a single $2 billion block grant to states. The Education Department, already the smallest Cabinet-level department by staff size, has undergone significant changes since Trump took office in January 2025. Nearly half of the department's employees have left through buyouts and layoffs, and numerous contracts and grants have been terminated. The only area where the department proposes to increase funding is its charter schools grants program. McMahon's appearance at the House hearing comes as part of her broader defense of the administration's education policies. In early April, while speaking to education technology entrepreneurs, McMahon emphasized her desire to cut bureaucracy while maintaining key federal funding for schools, stating it was time to "do something different." The former wrestling executive and Small Business Administration leader has a limited background in education. She was confirmed as Education Secretary by the Senate in March 2025, becoming the nation's 13th secretary of education. Shortly after her confirmation, President Trump signed an executive order directing McMahon to prepare the 45-year-old agency for shutdown. McMahon is expected to testify before a Senate appropriations committee soon, where she will likely face additional questions about the administration's education budget and restructuring plans. Her transition from leading the Small Business Administration to heading the Education Department represents a significant shift in her career, as she works to implement the president's vision for reducing the federal government's role in education. This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.