McMahon Seeks $43,278.64 for New Education Department Furniture
The Education Department plans to buy desks and chairs for a new office in downtown Washington D.C. while simultaneously working to cut staff and transfer duties to other agencies.
By Ana Castro ·
Education Secretary Linda McMahon’s office is preparing to spend $43,278.64 on new furniture for the department’s relocated headquarters. The purchase includes a desk, conference table, chairs, and other items for the secretary’s workspace.
McMahon’s team informed Congress that the current furniture was worn out and could not be integrated into the new space, according to non-public records reviewed by The New York Times. The department is moving from the Lyndon B Johnson building to a smaller facility in downtown Washington D.C. that previously housed the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
The move was announced in March. At the time, McMahon stated the relocation would save taxpayers $4.8 million annually. The building was formerly used by USAID before the Trump administration closed that agency.
Savannah Newhouse, the department’s press secretary, defended the expenditure in a statement. She said the administration was saving taxpayers millions through education cuts and noted that new federal offices require places to sit, write, and meet.
While funding the office upgrade, McMahon is also leading an effort to dismantle the department’s operations. Since returning to power in 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing McMahon to close the Department of Education. The administration has since reduced the department’s staffing by nearly half through workforce cuts.
Responsibilities have also shifted to other government bodies through interagency agreements. Special education services moved to the Department of Health and Human Services, while civil rights enforcement efforts were transferred to the Department of Justice.
The Department of Education was created by Congress, meaning it can only be dissolved by congressional action. The Republican-controlled chambers have not yet passed such legislation. Officials maintain that closing the department will give states more authority over education and remove bureaucratic processes.
