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Multiple members of Congress were blocked from entering the Department of Education on Friday, sparking outrage among Democratic lawmakers and intensifying the ongoing battle over the Trump administration’s plans to dismantle the agency.
The incident, captured in videos and shared widely on social media, highlighted growing tensions between the administration and congressional Democrats.
“They are blocking members of Congress from entering the Department of Education! Elon is allowed in and not the people? ILLEGAL,” Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) posted on X, referencing Elon Musk, the billionaire head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), who has played a key role in Trump's push to eliminate the agency.
The confrontation comes as President Donald Trump moves forward with efforts to dissolve the Education Department, a long-standing conservative goal.
Trump has publicly stated his intent to close the agency via executive order, though fully dismantling it would require congressional approval. Reports suggest that the administration is considering alternative executive actions to strip the department of its authority and transfer its core functions elsewhere.
A source familiar with the situation revealed that lawmakers attempted to gain access to the department after sending a formal request for an emergency meeting with the acting Education Secretary on Wednesday night. The request stemmed from reports detailing Trump's accelerated efforts to shutter the agency.
The Democratic lawmakers had demanded a meeting within 24 hours, but after receiving no response by Thursday night, they decided to visit the department in person on Friday morning.
Upon arrival, they were met with resistance. A security officer from the Office of Security, Facilities, and Logistics Services at the Department of Education blocked their entry and denied them access to the building.
The lawmakers were not given an explanation for why they were being barred and eventually left after standing outside for some time.
The Education Department later released a statement downplaying the event.
“The protest was organized by members of Congress who were exercising their First Amendment rights, which they are at liberty to do. They did not have any scheduled appointments, and the protest has since ended,” a department spokesperson said.
However, lawmakers argued that their exclusion from a government agency tasked with overseeing public education was unprecedented and unacceptable.
“Billionaires can go in this building but not representatives,” Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) said in a video taken at the scene. “There’s a lack of transparency here.”
In another video posted by Frost, armed federal officers were seen responding to the incident, further escalating tensions.
“They’ve called armed federal officers to the scene. We aren’t dangerous. We are here to represent our people. To defend public education. This is an authoritarian regime. You cannot block members of Congress from entering the Department of Education,” Frost wrote on X.
The standoff at the Education Department is just one of several recent clashes between congressional Democrats and the Trump administration as Musk’s DOGE initiative aggressively moves against federal agencies.
A similar incident occurred on Thursday when Democratic lawmakers were denied entry to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) after attempting to meet with DOGE officials and the agency’s administrator.
Trump and Musk have specifically targeted the Education Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) as part of their broader push to reduce the size of the federal government.
The administration argues that eliminating the Education Department would return power to the states, allowing for greater local control over school policies and funding. Critics, however, view the move as an attack on public education that could lead to severe disruptions for millions of students and educators.
Since taking office, Trump has instructed Musk and DOGE to fast-track plans for downsizing federal agencies, and the Education Department has been a primary target.
Reports indicate that the administration is exploring ways to dismantle the agency through budget cuts, executive orders, and structural reorganizations that would make it effectively obsolete.
Meanwhile, Democratic lawmakers and education advocates have vowed to resist these efforts, arguing that dismantling the department would hurt public schools, increase educational inequality, and undermine federal protections for marginalized students.
“This is an attack on the very foundation of public education in America,” Frost said in a statement. “We will not allow this administration to strip resources from students, teachers, and families without a fight.”
As tensions escalate, it remains unclear whether Trump will be able to fully shut down the Education Department without congressional approval.
Legal challenges and political opposition could slow or complicate the process, but the administration appears determined to proceed with its agenda.
The broader debate over the role of federal agencies in education policy is likely to continue, with both sides preparing for a legal and legislative showdown in the coming months.
For now, the denial of entry to lawmakers at the Education Department serves as a flashpoint in the ongoing battle over the future of public education in the United States.
