Trump Administration withholds $2 billion in education grants approved by Congress

OMB Director Russell Vought and Education Secretary Linda McMahon directed the freeze of approximately $2 billion in education grants that Congress had appropriated for fiscal year 2026, leaving more than 30 separate K-12 and higher education programs without access to their authorized funds. Affected programs include competitive grants for teacher training, community schools, magnet schools, and education research — programs the administration had proposed eliminating in its budget requests. The administration had not submitted a formal rescission request to Congress as required by the Impoundment Control Act before withholding the funds. Legal experts described the action as an unlawful impoundment under the 1974 law.