California Attorney General Rob Bonta has expressed strong opposition to President Donald Trump's executive order aimed at dismantling the U.S. Department of Education. In a statement, Bonta emphasized that "the Trump Administration knows, and even acknowledges, that the President cannot eliminate the U.S. Department of Education without Congressional approval." He criticized efforts to undermine the department's ability to perform its essential functions, noting the administration's "clearly stated 'final mission' of shuttering the Department for good."
Bonta indicated his office would scrutinize the executive order's actual implications beyond what has been publicly stated by the President. He mentioned plans to closely monitor how Education Secretary McMahon implements these directives into tangible actions.
The Attorney General pledged not to allow these actions to jeopardize children's health, education, and well-being. "I will not stand by when the President breaks the law," he asserted.
Bonta also referenced recent legal action taken against the Trump Administration over what he described as "the mass firing of Department of Education workers," which he sees as part of a broader strategy to dismantle the department internally. He affirmed his commitment to continue pursuing all necessary legal measures to safeguard student rights in California and nationwide.