Supreme Court Backs Trump’s Layoffs at Education Department

• Jul 15, 2025

The U.S. Supreme Court has cleared the way for the Education Department to go ahead with mass layoffs ordered by the Trump administration, a decision that marks a key step toward President Donald Trump’s goal of dismantling the department.

In a 6-3 ruling delivered along ideological lines, the high court temporarily blocked a lower court decision that had reinstated around 1,400 employees. The case, McMahon v. State of New York, stems from a legal challenge brought by 20 Democrat-led states that opposed the layoffs and the administration’s broader plans to close the department.

In March, Education Secretary Linda McMahon laid off half of the department’s workforce as part of Trump’s wider push to downsize federal agencies. Soon after, Trump signed an executive order outlining plans to completely shut down the department. This move sparked legal action, with opponents arguing that the administration’s real goal was to eliminate the department without proper authorization from Congress.

The challengers told the Supreme Court that the administration’s actions made it clear they were trying to sidestep the law. “The record abundantly reveals that their true intention is to effectively dismantle the Department without an authorizing statute,” they said in court filings.

The Trump administration defended its move, saying that while many employees were being laid off, the department would continue to carry out its legally required duties. It also argued that a full shutdown would still require Congressional approval.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor, writing for the three dissenting justices, strongly opposed the majority’s decision. She called the ruling “indefensible” and criticized the court for failing to stop what she described as a deliberate attempt by the executive branch to break the law. “It is the Judiciary’s duty to check that lawlessness, not expedite it,” Sotomayor wrote.

Despite the legal battle, Secretary McMahon maintained that the department would continue supporting key programs. “We will continue to support K-12 students, students with special needs, college student borrowers, and others who rely on essential programs,” she said.

Reacting to the Supreme Court’s decision, McMahon said the ruling allows her team to “deliver on its mandate to restore excellence in American education.” She added that the administration remains committed to returning education control to the states while reducing federal bureaucracy.