Three former U.S. Department of Education secretaries and a prominent union leader have formally requested an investigation into the federal agency’s mass layoffs. The group sent a letter Tuesday to Acting Inspector General Mark Priebe, asking for a review of the financial costs and operational impacts of the workforce reductions that occurred last year.
Watchdog Investigation Requested
The signatories of the letter include former Education Secretaries Arne Duncan, John B. King Jr., and Miguel Cardona, alongside Rachel Gittleman, a union leader representing federal employees. They are urging Priebe to examine the expenses associated with reinstating and rehiring hundreds of workers after the initial termination orders.
Gittleman stated that approximately 1,000 employees were unlawfully terminated or forced into retirement during August 2025. She argued that the administration prioritized political maneuvering over public service.
“We need a full picture of the fraud, waste and abuse carried out by this administration as they continue to play politics rather than doing their jobs to serve the American people,” Gittleman said at a press conference held outside the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday.
Timeline of Federal Workforce Cuts
The controversy stems from an executive order issued by President Donald Trump in March 2025, which outlined a plan to downsize the department. The agency announced a reduction in force (RIF) that same month. After a legal battle, the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily approved the layoffs and downsizing plan in July 2025. The RIF officially took effect in early August 2025.
An additional effort to fire nearly 500 employees in October 2025 was paused by a court and subsequently stopped by Congress. Linda McMahon, appointed by Trump as Education Secretary, has led the downsizing initiative for the 46-year-old department.
Congressional Response and Agency Shifts
Democratic lawmakers joined Gittleman at Tuesday’s press conference to criticize the administration’s strategy. Sens. Angela Alsobrooks and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, along with Rep. Bobby Scott of Virginia, voiced opposition to the restructuring.
Alsobrooks argued that Secretary McMahon has undermined the department’s core mission since taking office. “The Department of Education’s stated mission is to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access – since day one, Secretary McMahon has done everything possible to cause this mission to fail,” Alsobrooks said.
The administration has signed more than a dozen interagency agreements with departments including Health and Human Services, Labor, Interior, State, Justice, and Treasury. These agreements aim to transfer Education Department responsibilities to other agencies. In response, a Senate education panel advanced a bipartisan bill in July to block certain interagency agreements affecting special education, elementary and secondary education, postsecondary education, and Native American education. A House education panel also advanced a package earlier that month intended to reduce the department’s scope.
Administration Defends Actions
A spokesperson for the Department of Education criticized the former secretaries’ records regarding Common Core implementation, FAFSA processes, and gender definitions. The spokesperson maintained that the reduction in force was implemented in full compliance with existing regulations and laws.
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