Trump Education Secretary Linda McMahon Crashes Democrat Press Conference

President Donald Trump’s Education Secretary Linda McMahon crashed a press conference held by Democrat lawmakers on Wednesday morning following a meeting with her where they expressed their concerns about the administration’s plans to dismantle the Department of Education.

Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) and at least ten Democrats met with McMahon after the Education Department fired approximately half of its staff, going from 4,000 workers to a little more than 2,000. The department previously explained that the cuts were largely for inward facing roles, not for staff involved in outward facing programs.

In the press conference following their meeting with McMahon, Democrats simultaneously attempted to skewer her efforts to downsize the department while also expressing gratitude for her willingness to meet with them and work across the aisle.

“I will say, it was really refreshing to be able to sit in a room and ask our questions,” Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX) remarked. “We are all very grateful that she took the time to respond to our letter and she allowed more questions that what we had planned for, which is a great sign, and we hope to continue the open lines of communication with her and we’re grateful for that.” 

McMahon made an impromptu appearance at the press conference as Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-NM) was answering questions from reporters. The lawmaker claimed that it is “very apparent that the Secretary is treating this as a corporate restructuring, and we want to be clear that the education of our children is not a corporate enterprise.” At the same time, Stansbury accused McMahon of operating “without a plan,” before noting that the mood in the meeting room was “very collegial” and thanking McMahon for her time. 

Stansbury then saw McMahon and offered the podium to her to make a statement and said to the Secretary: “We’re extraordinarily grateful that the Secretary gave us the space to have these conversations, but with all due respect, madam, I think my biggest concern is that the states will not be able to protect the programs and services that you would like to devolve with them.”

McMahon walked up to the podium and said she wanted to express her gratitude to the lawmakers who met with her to “have an open discussion about what I believe is one of the most important things that we can have a discussion on or action in our country, and that is the education of our young people.”

“As Rep. Takano said as we were ending the meeting, which I thought was incredibly appropriate, and that is that this is not a partisan issue. This is about the children of America, and it’s the next generation, the generation after that, and if we want to have our leaders, if we want to have that next group of engineers and doctors and lawyers and plumbers and electricians and HVAC operators, then we need to focus on how they can best have their education,” she said.

READ MORE: Trump’s Education Secretary Linda McMahon Meets with Republicans to Discuss Legislation to Dismantle Department

“I believe, and I know the president does believe this as well — the best education is that that is closest to the child, where teachers and parents, local superintendents working together, and local school boards, to develop the curriculum for those students is the best way that it can happen,” she added.

“Funding from the Unites States government will continue through the programs that have already been established, and I will look forward to continuing to work with members of Congress on both sides of the aisle, and I welcome the fact that these folks came today and expressed their concerns and shared in a collegial format their concerns and how we can lead now to work more together,” she added. “That’s the way it ought to operate, and I’m very happy to have had them here.”

After her remarks, Rep. Takano attempted to corner Secretary McMahon in front of reporters, asking her when she plans to shut down the Education Department’s D.C. headquarters. The department has not aired plans to close D.C. headquarters but did discuss eventually cutting leases for several office locations as a result of the reduction in force, including in San Francisco, New York, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, and Cleveland.

“Well, we’ve had our discussions already,” McMahon responded to Takano, brushing his question aside.

“Thank you all. Thank you very, very much for coming,” she said to reporters and lawmakers before heading back inside the department.

Secretary McMahon was confirmed in early March and has been tasked with winding down the Department of Education. Ultimately, President Trump said he wants to see the Department of Education abolished and more power sent back to states and communities, and he has quipped that he wants McMahon “to put herself out of a job.”

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The 45th and 47th president signed a much anticipated executive order on March 20 calling for the department to be dismantled. However, officially ending the department would take an act of Congress, since it was Congress that created it 45 years ago under President Jimmy Carter. In the meantime, McMahon is cutting staff and workshopping how the department will shift certain responsibilities and programs to other government agencies. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has also assisted in slashing spending.

Democrats noted at the press conference that Secretary McMahon has pledged to work within federal statutes and with Congress while winding down the department, which Takano called “refreshing information.”

 “[W]e certainly hope that she sticks to what she said to us today, that she is looking to what the statute allows her to do,” Takano said.

Takano told reporters McMahon plans to meet with more Democrat lawmakers, and that Wednesday’s meeting was only the first one. According to the Hill, 75 House Democrats have asked to have discussions with Secretary McMahon.

Katherine Hamilton is a political reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on X @thekat_hamilton.