Federal Judge Stops Trump from Dissolving Education Department, Deals Blow to Executive Overreach

A federal judge Thursday blocked President Donald Trump’s plan to shut down the U.S. Department of Education, which aims to strip away critical services for students across the country while bypassing Congress.

U.S. District Judge Myong Joun ruled that the Trump administration’s effort was not just a government reshuffle but a full-on attempt to dismantle a federal agency — something the president has no power to do on his own.

“This case arises out of an attempt by Defendants to shut down the Department without Congressional approval,” Joun wrote, slamming the Trump administration’s claim that the move was merely a bureaucratic reorganization. “The idea that Defendants’ actions are merely a ‘reorganization’ is plainly not true.”

Trump, who publicly promised to “close up the Department of Education,” oversaw a mass reduction in force in March 2025 that cut the agency’s staff by more than half. Shortly thereafter, he issued an executive order instructing the secretary of education to “take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure” of the department — an act Joun made clear was beyond the bounds of presidential authority.

The decision not only restores employment for over 1,300 federal workers but also halts Trump’s executive order from taking further effect. 

“A preliminary injunction is warranted to return the Department to the status quo such that it can comply with its statutory obligations,” Joun concluded.

The Trump administration has said it will appeal the decision. But for now, the Department of Education, and the millions of students, families and educators who rely on it, gets a lifeline.