Trump signs order calling for D.O.E. to close. He already gutted its staff and programs. Students may not see much change, at first.

 

At the White House. Haiyun Jiang for The New York Times

President Trump, surrounded by schoolchildren in the East Room of the White House, signed an executive order that he said would “begin eliminating the federal Department of Education once and for all.” (A Times reporter asks: Can he really do that?) Only Congress, which created the department, can dissolve it. But Republican members would probably face blowback from education leaders in their districts. If the Education Department does go away, your student loans won’t: Another federal entity would take over the loan system. Late night hosts joked about Trump’s cuts to the department.