Trump to sign executive order to try to shutter Education Department: reports

President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order that will direct Education Secretary Linda McMahon to shut down her department as early as Thursday, according to multiple reports.

According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, the draft of the order acknowledge a U.S. president doesn't have authority to abolish the department.

However, it  directs McMahon to “take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Education Department” based on what is allowed by law, according to the report. 

Only Congress can shutter a federal agency, with a two-third Senate vote. However, Trump has only 53 Republicans in the upper chamber, and he would need 60 votes. 

A White House source told NewsNation that Trump will likely sign the executive order at 2 p.m. EST Thursday.

McMahon was confirmed by the Senate on Monday to lead the Education Department and she said she shared Trump's vision to send learning back to the states.

 “As a mother and grandmother, I know there is nobody more qualified than a parent to make educational decisions for their children," she wrote in a statement.