Prominent Tennessee Republicans support federal Department of Education dismantling, but local impacts remain unclear

President Trump and Linda McMahon at Thursday’s executive order signing (Photo by Linda McMahon)

On Thursday afternoon, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to begin dismantling the federal Department of Education (DOE), a move Tennessee leaders, including Governor Bill Lee, support.

The department’s workforce has already been slashed by nearly half, but President Trump says this move will return power over education decisions to the states.

“We’re going to be returning education very simply back to the states where it belongs, and this is a very popular thing to do but much more importantly it’s a commonsense thing to do and it’s going to work,” said President Trump.

The DOE was established in 1979 under the administration of President Jimmy Carter. Since that time, Trump says the the department has spent more than $3 trillion dollars, without providing significant improvements. The administration points to the most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) scores, showing that nationwide, only 39 percent of fourth graders and 28 percent of eighth graders are proficient in math, and just 31 percent of fourth graders and 31 percent of eighth graders showing proficiency in reading.

“That’s been the President’s cry, he says we’re spending more money per pupil than any country in the world and we’re seeing less results. That’s a clear indicator we’re not doing the best thing for our students,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon told Fox News Thursday night.

Trump cannot close the Department entirely. Doing so would require congressional action. Instead, for now McMahon says the DOE’s so-called “critical functions” would continue, including the enforcement of civil rights laws and oversight of student loans and Pell grants.

It remains unclear what Thursday’s move would mean for Tennessee. The state receives hundreds of millions of dollars each year in federal education grants, including those supporting students with disabilities and those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. During a hearing last year, representatives from the Tennessee Department of Education told lawmakers local school districts rely heavily on federal Department of Education funds, with federal dollars making up more than 18 percent of some rural Tennessee school districts’ budgets.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee was at the White House as President Trump signed the order. Lee says since the DOE was established, bureaucracy has ballooned but outcomes haven’t improved. Speaking to reporters following the signing, he said he’s confident no student services will be compromised.

“It’s time for a change. We know that if we have that autonomy ourselves, we know our outcomes will be even better,” said Lee.

Governor Lee isn’t the only Tennessee leader supporting the move. Tennessee Senator, and potential 2026 gubernatorial candidate Marsha Blackburn is in favor of dissolving the DOE and says she’s ready for Congress to act to completely shutter the department. Speaking to Fox News Thursday afternoon, she said the agency creates too much red tape and wastes taxpayer dollars that would be better spent at home. 

“It is so appropriate that President Trump do this, and Linda McMahon as Secretary is perfect for carrying this out,” said Blackburn. “Let’s free up teachers. Let’s let teachers teach their children. Let’s have teachers who are going to have robust lesson plans and are going to focus on AI and focus on quantum computing and then those basic skills of reading and writing and mathematics.”

Blackburn’s potential opponent in the GOP primary next year, U.S. Congressman John Rose, also supports the plan.

Republican Congressman Tim Burchett represents Tennessee’s 2nd District and reiterated his support on X, writing, “Gut the Department of Education and send the money back to the states. Let the locals decide how to best address needs in their communities.”

Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs also expressed his support. Jacobs has known Secretary McMahon for decades through his hall of fame career as the wrestler Kane in the World Wrestling Federation (now WWE). Earlier this month, Jacobs told the Tennessee Firefly that her business sense will serve the country well leading the DOE.  Following yesterday’s executive order, Jacobs took to X, reposing a headline about the order with applause emojis.

However, Democratic Memphis Congressman Steve Cohen disagrees. He says the move threatens vulnerable communities, writing on X, “Poor kids, minority kids, and kids with disabilities need help provided by the dept. of education. Trump and Musk don’t care!”