Why several House Democrats are seeking to pink-slip Education Secretary Linda McMahon

After appointing Linda McMahon last year as his Education Secretary, President Donald Trump memorably declared he wanted his long-time friend and Cabinet member to “put herself out of a job.”

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Now several Democrats in Congress are hoping to expedite Trump’s wish.

Of course the Democrats’ desire to push McMahon out of the Department of Education isn’t prompted by collegial bipartisanship.

Trump wants McMahon “out of a job” as the results of her successfully working to shutter the embattled Education Department. The president has long been outspoken in wanting to shift education administration from Washington, D.C., to the states, calling the 46-year-old Cabinet-level department “a big con job.”

The Democrats, meanwhile, want to hand McMahon a pink slip via impeachment — a rare action against a Cabinet member.

Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., introduced last week

During remarks on the House floor, Bonamici asserted it’s McMahon’s mission to close down the Department of Education, although abolishing the Education Department would require congressional approval.

“Secretary McMahon has betrayed students, families, and educators by dismantling and destroying the Department of Education without coming to Congress for approval,” said the Oregon lawmaker.

“(McMahon) violated federal law and her oath of office, lied to Congress, and created chaos and disruption in education funding for the students who need it the most.”

Bonamici added that McMahon has transferred “more than 100 (DOE) core programs and services” — including the Individuals with Disabilities Act and the Office of Civil Rights — to other federal agencies without congressional approval.

“Educators and parents, especially parents of students with disabilities — they’re distraught and they are asking us to take action to stop these illegal transfers,” said Bonamici.

Bonamici’s resolution is cosponsored by 16 of her Democrat colleagues in the House: Representatives Mark DeSaulnier, D-Calif., Maxine Dexter, D-Ore., Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, John Garamendi, D-Calif., Adelita Grijalva, D-Ariz., Jahana Hayes, D-Conn., Jared Huffman, D-Calif., Mike Quigley, D-Ill., Doris Matsui, D-Calif., Andrea Salinas, D-Ore., Lateefah Simon, D-Calif., Mark Takano, D-Calif., Shri Thanedar, D-Mich., Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., Jill Tokuda, D-Hawaii, and Nikema Williams, D-Ga.

McMahon to Democrats: ‘Do better’

Responding to the impeachment actions, McMahon countered it “speaks volumes” that Bonamici and her resolution co-sponsors think “working to improve student outcomes and reduce the federal bureaucracy” is an impeachable offense.

“They must not be bothered by chronic failures of our education system that result in historic low test scores, a failed FAFSA form rollout, classrooms shuttered during COVID, designating parents as terrorists, and males in female locker rooms,” McMahon wrote on her X account.

The federal government, added McMahon, has spent trillions since the creation of the Education Department in 1980 — “yet just one-third of children can read proficiently.”

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“To the Democrats in Congress,” she challenged, “do better.”

Utah Rep. Burgess Owens — who chairs the House Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development — remains a staunch McMahon supporter.

In a statement provided to the Deseret News, Owens called Bonamici’s impeachment actions against McMahon “completely unserious” — while accusing Democrats of “handwringing” trying to protect the “entrenched bureaucracy.”

“Sec. McMahon is carrying out the mandate given to her and this administration by voters: rein in the unchecked bureaucracy, put parents back in the driver’s seat of education, and protect taxpayer dollars.

“And she’s been successful!”

Owens added that under McMahon’s leadership, the DOE blocked over $1 billion in student aid fraud — redirecting that money “from bad actors to students in need.”

Why removing McMahon from Cabinet position would be unprecedented

Successfully booting McMahon from her Education Department position would be a congressional long-shot.

The Democrats would first have to get a vote to impeach in the Republican-controlled House — then two-thirds of the Republican-controlled Senate would have to vote to convict.

Impeaching a U.S. Cabinet secretary is extremely rare — and none have been convicted in their impeachment trial.

War Secretary William Belknap was impeached in 1876, but was ultimately acquitted after the Senate vote fell short of the necessary two-thirds majority.

Almost a century-and-a-half would pass before another Cabinet secretary was impeached.

In 2024, the House voted to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in a 214-213 vote. But the Senate ultimately dismissed charges against Mayorkas.

McMahon’s DOE tenure defined by disruption, division

Regardless of the ultimate outcome of the impeachment push against McMahon, the secretary’s DOE tenure has been undeniably disruptive — and divisive.

Earlier this month, the DOE announced it was moving two of its most important oversight functions — special education and civil rights enforcement — to other federal offices.

And over the past year, the DOE has shifted several duties to other agencies — including repositioning a portion of its student loan portfolio to the Treasury Department and administrative duties of other key programs to federal agencies such as the departments of Labor, Interior, Health and Human Service, and State.

Meanwhile, DOE’s workforce has been cut approximately in half since McMahon took the agency reins.

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