The Megyn Kelly Show
The Case for Abolishing the Department of Education, Truth About Trump's Tariff Plan: AM Update 4/21
Mon, 21 Apr 2025
In two exclusive interviews, school choice advocate Corey DeAngelis makes the case for shutting down the Department of Education—arguing it's failed students and must go. Plus, investor Steve Eisman breaks down Trump’s sweeping new tariff plan and why the U.S. may be in the strongest negotiating position in the world.Tax Network USA: Call 1-800-958-1000 or visit https://TNUSA.com/MEGYN to speak with a strategist for FREE todayNimi Skincare: Use code MK to Get 10% off your order at https://www.NimiSkincare.com. Where modern skincare meets timeless values.
Chapter 1: Who is hosting the AM Update on April 21st, 2025?
Good morning, everyone. I'm Megyn Kelly. It's Monday, April 21st, 2025, and this is your AM Update.
Chapter 2: What is the case for abolishing the Department of Education?
Since 1980, we have data on this. Per-student spending has increased by about 108% after adjusting for inflation. Have the outcomes gotten 108% better? No, they obviously haven't.
President Trump says it's time to pull the plug on the Department of Education. What does the future of American schooling look like if Washington isn't calling the shots?
The U.S. is in the best negotiating position by far.
Critics call it chaos. Supporters call it correction. Inside Trump's high-stakes tariff strategy and why the U.S. might just hold all the cards. Coming up in just a moment on this special Easter Monday edition of AM Update. Tax day may have passed, but for millions of Americans, the real trouble is just the beginning.
If you miss the April 15th deadline or still owe back taxes, the IRS is ramping up enforcement, and every day you wait might make things worse. With over 5,000 new tax liens filed daily and tools like property seizures, bank levies, and wage garnishments, you don't want to mess around. Okay. The good news is there's still time for Tax Network USA to help.
Self-employed or a business owner, even if your books are a mess, they've got it covered. Tax Network USA specializes in cleaning up financial chaos and getting you back on track fast. Even after the deadline, it's not too late to regain control. Your consultation is completely free and acting now could stop penalties, threatening letters, and surprise levies before they escalate.
Call 1-800-958-1000 or visit tnusa.com slash Megan. You may have missed April 15th, but you haven't run out of options. Let Tax Network USA help before the IRS makes the next move.
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Chapter 3: What are President Trump's plans regarding the Department of Education?
And I'm going to close the Department of Education and move education back to the states. I will shut down the Federal Department of Education and we will move everything back to the states. One other thing I'll be doing very early in the administration is closing up the Department of Education in Washington, D.C.
After years of pandemic-era remote learning exposing widespread educational failures, FBI scrutiny of outspoken parents at school board meetings, and growing concerns over the politicization of classroom content on race and gender, then-GOP candidate Donald Trump surged to victory in 2024, campaigning on a promise to overhaul the public education system and restore parental rights.
In March, President Trump taking the most significant step yet toward fulfilling that promise.
In a few moments, I will sign an executive order to begin eliminating the Federal Department of Education once and for all. I told Linda, Linda, I hope you do a great job and put yourself out of a job. I want her to put herself out of a job.
The order directing Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to, quote, take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return authority over education to the states and local communities. Critics decrying the move, accusing the administration of dismantling public education, and abandoning federal support for vulnerable students.
They're going to go after food programs for poor kids. They're going to take lunch, breakfast and lunch away from poor kids.
Folks who might have a child with a disability are wondering, is this going to impact my family? Is this going to make things even harder? You can lie to parents about a lot of things, but if you start taking away opportunities from their children, you better watch out.
We spoke with school choice advocate and executive director of the Educational Freedom Institute, Corey DeAngelis, who says the Department of Education has failed in its mission and it is beyond time to shut it down.
We should get rid of the Department of Education altogether. Since 1980, we have data on this. Per student spending has increased by about 108% after adjusting for inflation. Have the outcomes gotten 108% better recently? No, they obviously haven't. It was created with the explicit purpose of closing achievement gaps and improving student outcomes. It hasn't done either of those things.
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Chapter 4: What are the arguments against closing the Department of Education?
Dismantling it means defunding programs that feed, educate and protect our most vulnerable and underserved students and leaving many families fearful and anxious and communities reeling. Mr. DeAngelis says that argument doesn't hold up, saying the department is failing the very students it's supposed to protect.
Students with special needs are getting the short end of the stick when it comes to education in our country, and it's because they're stuck in a one-size-fits-all system. And the Department of Education, even though they include red tape and regulations around these ideas, doesn't mean that it's actually producing better outcomes for those kids.
And then any useful programs like special needs initiatives would move under other departments. Student loans have been announced to be moved under the Small Business Administration. Department of Justice would handle civil rights issues. Head Start, if you like the pre-K programs, those move under the Department of Health and Human Services as well.
Chapter 5: How does Corey DeAngelis respond to criticisms about abolishing the DOE?
President Trump's executive orders redirect federal money to the states where local officials will have greater control over how it's spent. President of the American Federation of Teachers, Randy Weingarten, another huge union, claiming states will funnel the money into private school voucher programs at the expense of public education.
They're saying, oh, don't worry, let's block grant it. So we'll give it to a state education department and then let the state education department decide what to do. So we know, for example, what Texas would do.
They'll use it for vouchers. Mr. DeAngelis responding to that argument.
And you have people like Randi Weingarten crying about this. And it's not because she's concerned about the kids. She's concerned about her own gravy train coming to an end. She sees that she can lobby one institution, the department, better than lobbying a lot of different institutions. And so she feels like she can wield more influence in Washington, D.C. than in individual states.
When people can vote with their feet, The schools improve in response to competition. We've seen this time and time again. Most recently in Florida, they went all in on school choice. And a couple decades ago, before they had school choice, they were at the bottom of the pack on the nation's report card. Now you fast forward to today. Florida is number one on education, according to U.S.
News and World Report. And it's not a money issue. Money doesn't solve problems, especially when the system is broken. Florida spends 27% less than the national average per student in the public schools, and they're knocking it out of the park because they have competition.
Fully abolishing the DOE would require an act of Congress, an uphill battle with a slim Republican majority in the Senate and a 60-vote threshold. to overcome the filibuster. But Mr. DeAngelis says Democrats' stance on education could cost them seats and predicts Republicans will keep chipping away.
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Chapter 6: What would happen to federal education programs if the DOE is closed?
They unanimously voted against this protecting girls' sports, which is an 80-20 issue. You got to think they're going to lose some seats over this issue in the midterms. Maybe after 2026, Trump and the Republicans will have a better chance at fully eradicating the department. But what I am hopeful about is You only need 51 votes in the budget reconciliation process.
So there are things Republicans can do to give this department death by a thousand cuts, including reducing or changing mandatory spending patterns. And Trump's already started this process with his executive order, and Linda has fired half the department. They oh, we're halfway there if we could only get 100% of the way there.
But it does require an act of Congress because it was created by an act of Congress.
Chapter 7: How are teachers' unions reacting to the potential closure of the DOE?
Chapter 8: What is Trump's tariff plan and the US's negotiating position?
The U.S. is in the best negotiating position by far.
Critics call it chaos. Supporters call it correction. Inside Trump's high-stakes tariff strategy and why the U.S. might just hold all the cards. Coming up in just a moment on this special Easter Monday edition of AM Update. Tax day may have passed, but for millions of Americans, the real trouble is just the beginning.
If you miss the April 15th deadline or still owe back taxes, the IRS is ramping up enforcement, and every day you wait might make things worse. With over 5,000 new tax liens filed daily and tools like property seizures, bank levies, and wage garnishments, you don't want to mess around. Okay. The good news is there's still time for Tax Network USA to help.
Self-employed or a business owner, even if your books are a mess, they've got it covered. Tax Network USA specializes in cleaning up financial chaos and getting you back on track fast. Even after the deadline, it's not too late to regain control. Your consultation is completely free and acting now could stop penalties, threatening letters, and surprise levies before they escalate.
Call 1-800-958-1000 or visit tnusa.com slash Megan. You may have missed April 15th, but you haven't run out of options. Let Tax Network USA help before the IRS makes the next move.
And I'm going to close the Department of Education and move education back to the states. I will shut down the Federal Department of Education and we will move everything back to the states. One other thing I'll be doing very early in the administration is closing up the Department of Education in Washington, D.C.
After years of pandemic-era remote learning exposing widespread educational failures, FBI scrutiny of outspoken parents at school board meetings, and growing concerns over the politicization of classroom content on race and gender, then-GOP candidate Donald Trump surged to victory in 2024, campaigning on a promise to overhaul the public education system and restore parental rights.
In March, President Trump taking the most significant step yet toward fulfilling that promise.
In a few moments, I will sign an executive order to begin eliminating the Federal Department of Education once and for all. I told Linda, Linda, I hope you do a great job and put yourself out of a job. I want her to put herself out of a job.
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