By Sohaib Shams
Education Secretary Linda McMahon intends to spend $43,278.64 on new office furniture, including chairs, a conference table, and a desk, while simultaneously working to shut down the department she leads, according to a report citing department records. Staffers told Congress the existing furniture is dilapidated and cannot be integrated into the agency's new, smaller office space, which the department recently moved into amid sweeping layoffs.
Scrutiny Over Spending
The planned expenditure has drawn scrutiny, as McMahon is not the first Trump Cabinet official to face questions over office renovation costs. In 2018, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson canceled a $31,000 dining set order after backlash, and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke spent $139,000 to upgrade office doors the same year. The Education Department press secretary defended the purchase, stating that new federal offices need places to sit, write, and meet, and noted the relocation is saving taxpayers millions of dollars.
Department Closure Efforts
McMahon, a billionaire and major Trump donor, has made closing the Education Department a central mission. Since President Trump's inauguration, about 43 percent of the department's staff have been laid off or departed, and many functions have been delegated to other agencies. McMahon argues the department is a failed federal bureaucracy and that authority should return to parents, teachers, and local leaders.
Congressional Approval Required
Neither McMahon nor Trump can officially shutter the department without Congressional legislation. The GOP-controlled Congress has not voted in favor of the move. McMahon recently told Fox News that Congress must vote to close the department and that she hopes they will, believing the outcome would be better for students.
Public Opinion and Budget Context
A YouGov survey last year found 58 percent of respondents opposed dismantling the Education Department, while 29 percent favored it. The department's budget for fiscal year 2026 stands at about $80 billion, less than one-tenth of the Defense Department's allocation.
