Education Chief Allocates $43,278 for Office Refit While Dismantling Agency

Education Secretary Linda McMahon has requested $43,278.64 to replace furniture in her office, according to non-public records obtained by The New York Times. The request outlines the cost for a new desk, conference table, chairs, and other items necessary for the agency's operations.

The paperwork submitted to Congress argues that the existing furniture is worn out. The document states the current pieces cannot be configurationally or aesthetically integrated into the agency's new office space. An unnamed senior official confirmed to the newspaper that the office requires these specific replacements to function properly.

The purchase coincides with McMahon's effort to permanently close the Department of Education. In March, she announced that the department would leave its headquarters in the Lyndon B Johnson building. The agency will move to a smaller facility in downtown Washington, D.C., which previously housed the US Agency for International Development. The Trump administration shut down USAID earlier in its tenure.

McMahon claims the relocation will save taxpayers $4.8 million annually. Savannah Newhouse, the department's press secretary, defended the spending in a statement. She said the administration was saving taxpayers millions of dollars through its education cuts. Newhouse added that just like in the private sector, new federal offices need places to sit, write, and meet.

Donald Trump signed an executive order in 2025 directing McMahon to close the department. McMahon is a former executive at World Wrestling Entertainment. Congress created the Department of Education, and only Congress can dissolve it. The Republican-controlled chambers have not yet moved to formally end the agency's existence.

The administration has taken steps to reduce the department's power despite the lack of congressional action. It has nearly halved the department's staffing through workforce reductions. Responsibilities have shifted to other agencies through interagency agreements. Special education services moved to the Department of Health and Human Services, while civil rights enforcement efforts moved to the justice department.

Trump and McMahon argue that effectively closing the department will give states more authority over education. They contend this move eliminates unnecessary bureaucratic processes. States already control most of their own education policies.