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.

Trump drafts order to begin dismantling the Department of Education, seeking executive and congressional action to eliminate it. Follow Newsweek's live blog.

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,

President Donald Trump has reportedly set his sights on eliminating the U.S. Department of Education, a long-time Republican goal and promise from his campaign. The proposed plan, though, gives rise to a host of unanswered questions—not least of which is what happens to the 42-plus million Americans with federal student loan debt.