Obama-era Education secretary: Trump's threat to eliminate department 'empty'

Arne Duncan, former President Obama's Education secretary, said Wednesday that President-elect Trump's campaign promise to close the Department of Education is "empty."

"Trump promising to eliminate the Department of Education was never going to happen. That's just another empty, broken promise," Duncan told CNN's Jake Tapper. "Whether his supporters hold him accountable for that, I don't know."

Trump has promised multiple times that the department would close, saying he wants to send the responsibility of funding schools back to the states.

Duncan commented that most of the funding for public education already comes at the state and local level, "So [Trump's] saying things that don't really make sense, and, unfortunately, really trying to politicize and weaponize education."

It is unclear how the shutdown would work, but other Republicans and the authors of Project 2025 have talked about moving the responsibilities of the Education Department to other federal agencies.

For example, Project 2025 proposes moving the Office of Civil Rights to the Justice Department.

“What I know is that parents will let you lie about a lot of things, but if you start to mess with their children, you better watch out," Duncan said.

On Tuesday, Trump nominated Linda McMahon for Education secretary, an unlikely choice who has given little indication on her thoughts around education issues or shutting down the department.

“I just hope she goes in with good faith and that she's not there to dismantle it,” Duncan said.

“I just can only hope and pray she goes in good faith to help students learn, not dismantle the place, not reduce trust in public education,” he added.