By Karim Hammam
Education Secretary Linda McMahon plans to spend approximately $43,000 on new furniture for her office, according to non-public records seen by the New York Times. The purchase includes a desk, conference table, chairs and other items for the department's relocated headquarters.
Relocation Plans and Savings Claims
In March, McMahon announced the Department of Education would move from the Lyndon B. Johnson building to a smaller downtown Washington, D.C., facility previously occupied by the U.S. Agency for International Development. She claimed the move would save taxpayers $4.8 million annually.
Furniture Details
The new furnishings are expected to cost $43,278.64. A senior official told the New York Times that the current furniture is worn out and cannot be integrated into the new office space.
Administration Response
Department press secretary Savannah Newhouse stated the administration is "saving taxpayers millions of dollars" through education cuts, adding that new federal offices need places to sit, write and meet, similar to the private sector.
Broader Efforts to Shutter Department
McMahon, a former World Wrestling Entertainment executive, has been directed by President Donald Trump to close the Department of Education. While only Congress can dissolve the department, the administration has nearly halved staffing and transferred responsibilities such as special education services to the Department of Health and Human Services and civil rights enforcement to the Justice Department.
Executive Order and Congressional Authority
Shortly after returning to office in 2025, Trump signed an executive order directing McMahon to close the department. The department was established by Congress and can only be dissolved by Congress, but Republican-controlled chambers have not acted to do so.
