President Trump’s fixation reinvigorated the debate over the role of the federal government in education, and created a powerful point of unity between the factions of his party.

The moves will cut the department from 4,133 workers when President Donald Trump began his second term in January to 2,183 workers. The significant cuts come as Trump is considering an executive order attempting to dismantle the agency and as all federal departments and agencies are preparing "large-scale reductions in force" ahead of a Thursday deadline ordered by Trump.