FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 12, 2025
Contact: Emma Bittner
(972) 510-3395 | Emma.Bittner@younginvincibles.org
McMahon’s Chokehold Causing a Crisis at ED as Half of Staff is Fired
(Washington, DC) – Yesterday, the Department of Education (ED), led by WWE Wrestling mogul, Linda McMahon, enacted a reduction in force (RIF), impacting nearly 50 percent of the department’s staff, amidst the Trump Administration’s efforts to cut costs and down-size the government. This comes shortly after federal ED employees were offered a $25,000 buyout to quit or retire and the confirmation of McMahon as Education Secretary.
These significant staff reductions directly align with President Trump’s agenda to dismantle the Department of Education and decrease federal influence on education.
Similar to the layoffs conducted at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, this will likely be challenged in the courts.
In response, Kristin McGuire, Executive Director of Young Invincibles said:
“This administration is slashing the workforce that helps students, families, and borrowers access financial aid and manage their loan repayment issues – right at the same time millions are submitting their FAFSA applications. These layoffs are a reckless decision that will come with grim repercussions. This colossal personnel cut, the largest in the department’s history, will ultimately harm students and borrowers, depriving them of the necessary support they need, and inevitably making education less affordable and accessible. Only Congress can legally abolish the Department of Education. Yet, this administration is using exploitative hacks to systematically destroy the department from within, dangerously politicizing our education system.The sweeping cuts to the department signify a war on education, with students and borrowers who are trying to find an affordable education bearing the brunt of the damage. This goes beyond politics, decimating the department and slashing its workforce is an overt attempt to disinvest in our students and jeopardize their futures. This administration has made it blatantly obvious that its priorities are misaligned with the public’s needs, failing to prioritize our nation’s students.”
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Young Invincibles (YI) is a national advocacy and policy nonprofit organization focused on amplifying the voice of young people in the political process at the local, state, and federal levels. YI focuses on issues impacting young adults ages 18 to 34 in higher education, health care, economic security, and civic engagement. Our offices include Washington, D.C., California, Colorado, Illinois, New York, and Texas. For more information, please contact Emma Bittner at (972) 510-3395 or emma.bittner@younginvincibles.org