President Donald Trump is preparing to gut the U.S. Education Department to the full extent of his power, directing his administration to slash spending while pressuring employees to quit. Yet his promise to close the department is colliding with another reality: Most of its spending — and its very existence — is ordered by

The Trump administration is hoping to drastically shrink the Education Department, using an executive order now in the works. The order — as described by three people briefed on its contents, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss internal issues — would seek a plan for Congress to abolish the department altogether,

U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he would like to close the U.S. Department of Education using an executive order but acknowledged he would need buy-ins from Congress and teachers' unions to fulfill his campaign pledge to do so.