Sen. Elizabeth Warren Triggered Almost to Tears Over Department of Education Question [WATCH]

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) criticized President Donald Trump’s announced plan to dismantle the Department of Education, claiming that such a move would be unconstitutional and harmful to public schools.

Speaking on Friday, Warren argued that public education is essential to both the nation’s future and its democracy.

“Public education is a critical part — not just of how we build the future, but also of our democracy. I support public education. Ultimately, Donald Trump and Elon Musk do not have the right to shut down the Department of Education. It was created by Congress. Only Congress has that right,” Warren said.

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She went on to accuse Trump and Musk of seeking to undermine public schools, stating, “Just the very fact that they want to do everything they can to insult public school teachers, to insult public school students, and to insult the communities that depend on and support those public schools, is truly despicable.”

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Warren’s statement regarding Trump’s lack of authority to unilaterally dissolve the Department of Education is legally accurate.

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Under the U.S. Constitution, executive branch departments are created and funded by Congress, meaning any structural changes or eliminations must go through the legislative process.

While the president has broad authority over the executive branch, the Constitution specifies that “congressional action is required to create Executive Branch departments, to fund them, to determine the nature and scope of their duties, and to confirm the appointment of their top leaders.”

The power to establish, modify, or eliminate federal agencies ultimately rests with Congress.

In response to Trump’s push to restructure the federal government, House Oversight and Government Reform Chairman James Comer (R-KY) and Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced a bill on February 13 to streamline the process.

The Reorganizing Government Act of 2025 is designed to ensure that Congress takes a direct vote on government-wide reorganization plans proposed by the president.

Comer emphasized that reducing bureaucratic inefficiency is a priority for Trump’s administration.

“Americans elected President Trump to reform Washington, and his team is working around the clock to deliver on that promise. The federal bureaucracy has grown dramatically in size and scope, creating unnecessary red tape. We must cut through the inefficiency and streamline government to improve service delivery and save taxpayers money,” Comer said.

He added, “Congress can fast-track President Trump’s government reorganization plans by renewing a key tool to approve them swiftly in Congress. The Reorganizing Government Act of 2025 does just that. I look forward to advancing this bill in the House Oversight Committee soon. We owe it to the American people to make government efficient, effective, and accountable.”

As the debate over the Department of Education’s future continues, concerns remain over the state of public education in the U.S. Studies have shown that American students lag behind their international counterparts in key areas such as math and science.

According to a 2021 Education Week report, the U.S. workforce is among the least competitive in the industrialized world due to educational shortcomings.

Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon defended Trump’s approach to education reform, stating, “[Trump is] taking the bureaucracy out of education so that more money flows to the states. Better education is closest to the kids, with parents, with the local superintendents, with local school boards.”

While Trump’s administration seeks to move education oversight to the state and local levels, any major restructuring will ultimately require congressional approval.

With Republicans pushing for reforms and Democrats resisting changes to the Department of Education, the battle over the federal government’s role in education is likely to continue.

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