Conservatives Call for Codifying Trump-Era Executive Orders and Defunding the Department of Education
FNF News | May 22, 2025
A growing coalition of Republican lawmakers and conservative activists are urging Congress to codify key executive orders issued under former President Donald Trump, while simultaneously pushing to defund the U.S. Department of Education—moves that reflect the GOP’s escalating effort to reshape the federal government and solidify Trump-era policy gains.
As the 2026 midterms approach, these dual initiatives have emerged as priorities for Republicans aligned with Trump’s America First agenda, signaling a broader strategy to permanently embed the former president’s directives into U.S. law and shift educational authority to the states.
“Codify and Cement”: Trump Allies Want EO Legacy to Last
Trump signed over 220 executive orders during his presidency, many focused on immigration enforcement, deregulation, energy independence, law enforcement protections, and federal workforce reforms. While some have been reversed or paused under the Biden administration, Republicans want to prevent future rollbacks.
“We can’t let bureaucrats and Democrat presidents undo what took years to build,” said Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Chair of the House Republican Conference. “Codifying Trump’s executive orders is how we stop the revolving door of policy chaos.”
Key executive orders being targeted for codification include:
- EO 13888: Strengthening vetting of refugee resettlement.
- EO 13950: Banning divisive race and gender training in federal agencies (previously repealed).
- EO 13771: Requiring agencies to eliminate two regulations for every new one added.
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) has drafted legislation to preserve Trump’s “regulatory rollback” framework, while Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) is leading an effort to revive and codify the federal workforce loyalty and merit reform EO that was reversed by Biden.
Department of Education in the Crosshairs
Alongside efforts to codify executive actions, Republicans are renewing calls to dismantle the Department of Education altogether—a proposal that gained steam in recent months as cultural clashes over school content, gender policy, and parental rights intensify nationwide.
“The federal Department of Education has become a political tool that undermines local authority and pushes woke ideology,” said Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), who reintroduced his bill to eliminate the department by 2026.
“It’s time to take that money and put it back into the hands of states and parents,” added Massie.
Supporters argue that defunding the department would empower local school boards and remove federal influence from curriculum decisions.
Opponents, including most Democrats and several education policy experts, warn that such a move would cause massive disruption, weaken national standards, and exacerbate inequality in poorer districts.
Public Response and Political Stakes
A Gallup poll conducted in May shows sharp partisan divides:
- 81% of Republicans support codifying Trump’s major executive orders.
- 69% favor reducing or eliminating the Department of Education.
- 62% of Democrats oppose both moves.
- Independents remain split, with 48% backing more state-level education control.
Public debate is also playing out online. Conservative influencers such as Charlie Kirk, Candace Owens, and Jesse Watters have amplified the calls to “codify Trump” and “abolish the DOE,” often framing the effort as a culture war victory.
Democratic Pushback: “A Dangerous Precedent”
Democratic leaders say the push to codify Trump’s orders and eliminate the education department represents a dangerous precedent.
“This isn’t about good governance—it’s about locking in a far-right agenda that bypasses checks and balances,” said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY).
Education Secretary Miguel Cardona warned that stripping the federal role in education could lead to “a patchwork of policies that fail millions of students—especially in rural and underserved areas.”
Looking Ahead
With 2026 midterm races heating up and Trump expected to maintain a kingmaker role in GOP politics, these proposals are likely to become rallying cries on the campaign trail.
Whether they succeed legislatively may hinge on control of the Senate and the presidency in 2026. But even now, the message from Trump-aligned Republicans is clear: undo the Biden years, enshrine the Trump era, and reshape federal power from the ground up.
Sources:
- Congressional Record – Executive Order Codification Proposals
- C-SPAN – House Education Hearings
- Gallup Poll – National Policy Priorities, May 2025
- AP News – Trump Policies and Legislative Agenda