Overview:
The Trump administration plans to leave the Education Department’s headquarters and shift its space to another agency as part of a broader effort to shrink the department, transfer responsibilities, and reduce the federal role in education, despite criticism and legal limits.
The U.S. Department of Education announced plans to vacate its longtime headquarters in the Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) building, marking one of the most visible steps yet in the Trump administration’s ongoing effort to scale back the agency.
The Department said the LBJ building, which is located in downtown Washington, will be turned over to the Department of Energy, which officials say will make better use of the space. According to the administration, the facility is currently about 70% vacant.
Named after President Lyndon B. Johnson, whose administration expanded federal involvement in education—particularly for low-income students—the building has long represented a broader federal commitment to educational access.
However, Education Secretary Linda McMahon described the move as part of a broader push to reduce the federal government’s role in education and save taxpayers’ money.
“One year ago, President Trump signed one of the most consequential executive orders of his presidency – to break up the federal education bureaucracy and return education to the states,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. “Thanks to the hard work of so many, we have made unprecedented progress in reducing the federal education footprint, and now we are pleased to give this building to an agency that will benefit far more from its space than the Department of Education. This is an important step in our efforts to forge brighter futures for our nation’s students, honor the taxpayers who invest in their promise, and support the civil servants who keep this vital work moving forward.”
The relocation is part of a larger restructuring effort that has taken shape over the past year. The department has reduced its workforce by roughly half through layoffs and voluntary buyouts, though some positions have since been reinstated. At the same time, key responsibilities have been reassigned to other federal agencies.
Among the most significant changes is the transfer of portions of the federal student loan system to the U.S. Treasury Department. Treasury has already begun taking over the collection of defaulted loans and may eventually play a larger role in managing student aid processes, including repayment systems and application oversight.
The union representing Department of Education workers condemned the move in a statement.
“The message the Secretary’s announcement sends to our staff and the American public is clear — education is next on the chopping block,” American Federation of Government Employees Local 252 President Rachel Gittleman.
Critics, including many Democrats and education advocates, have raised concerns about the long-term impact and have argued that dismantling the department’s functions will weaken federal oversight and harm the most vulnerable students.
“ED leaving the Lyndon B. Johnson headquarters building does not cut bureaucracy — it rearranges it,” said Rep. Bobby Scott, who represents Virginia’s 3rd Congressional District. “This decision reflects a broader effort to reduce the federal government’s role in ensuring people have equal access to a quality education.”
Legally, the Department of Education cannot be fully eliminated without congressional approval. Established in 1979, the agency would require an act of Congress to be dissolved—a process that would require 60 votes in the Senate, a threshold the administration currently lacks.
The closure of the Lyndon B. Johnson building will signal a shift by the Trump administration toward a more decentralized approach, with greater authority placed in the hands of states.
