Linda McMahon, President Trump's nominee for Education Secretary, faced tough questioning from Senate Democrats regarding the Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) cost-cutting measures, spearheaded by Elon Musk. During Thursday's Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing, McMahon, the former WWE CEO, defended the efforts, citing the public's mandate for reducing government waste. She emphasized her commitment to adhering to congressional law when implementing cuts.
Senators, including Virginia's Tim Kaine, pressed McMahon on whether she would implement all of DOGE's proposed cuts. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) expressed concern over DOGE's access to private student data, a point McMahon countered by stating that DOGE employees operate under the Department of Education's guidelines. Murray strongly disagreed, calling the situation "deeply disturbing."
Fox News previously reported on DOGE's cancellation of over $100 million in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) grants, part of an $881 million reduction in DOE contracts. Musk highlighted these cuts on X, formerly known as Twitter. Another terminated contract involved $1.5 million spent on observing mail operations. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) questioned McMahon about concerns over potential cuts to tutoring programs, to which McMahon responded that she needed further review before making decisions.
DOGE's cost-cutting initiatives within the DOE have included the termination of grants related to "Decolonizing the Curriculum." McMahon clarified that she has not spoken with Musk about the Department of Education.
