SC Greenlights Trump’s Plan To Dismantle Education Dept, Lay Off 1,400 Employees

Last Updated:July 15, 2025, 06:55 IST

The court, in a 6-3 decision with the liberal justices dissenting, paused a preliminary injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Myong Joun in Boston.

US President Donald Trump (AP)

The US Supreme Court on Monday cleared the way for President Donald Trump to move ahead with plans to lay off nearly 1,400 employees from the Department of Education, a move seen as the first step in his broader campaign promise to dismantle the agency.

The court, in a 6-3 decision with the liberal justices dissenting, paused a preliminary injunction issued by US District Judge Myong Joun in Boston. That injunction had blocked the layoffs and criticised the administration’s plan, warning it would likely “cripple the department." The First Circuit Court of Appeals had earlier refused to lift the order.

With the high court’s intervention, the Trump administration is now free to resume its restructuring efforts, which include redistributing key federal education functions to individual states.

Trump, celebrating the decision on his social media platform late Monday, wrote, “The Supreme Court has handed a Major Victory to Parents and Students across the Country." He added that the ruling allows his administration to begin the “very important process" of returning many Education Department responsibilities “BACK TO THE STATES."

The Education Department overhaul has been one of Trump’s most controversial policy goals, drawing sharp criticism from education advocates and political opponents who say it could hurt vulnerable students and weaken national education standards. However, Trump has framed it as a decentralisation initiative aimed at empowering states and reducing federal overreach.

Monday’s ruling signals a major win for the administration as it pushes forward on broader structural reforms in its second term.

News world SC Greenlights Trump’s Plan To Dismantle Education Dept, Lay Off 1,400 Employees