Furniture Purchase: Education Department Spends $43,278 on New Office

Linda McMahon has requested $43,278.64 for office furniture.

The U.S. Department of Education is moving to a smaller space in downtown Washington, D.C. McMahon’s office informed Congress that the current furnishings are worn out. They stated the existing items cannot be integrated into the new office space, either configurationally or aesthetically. This information comes from non-public records reviewed by The New York Times.

The furniture list includes a new desk, conference table, chairs, and other items. A senior official told The New York Times that the department needs these replacements for the new location. The cost is expected to be exactly $43,278.64.

The department is relocating from the Lyndon B. Johnson Building to a former U.S. Agency for International Development building. McMahon announced this move in March. She claimed the relocation would save taxpayers $4.8 million annually. The Trump administration has promoted these education cuts as a way to save millions of dollars.

Savannah Newhouse, the department’s press secretary, defended the purchase. She said the administration is saving taxpayers millions of dollars through its cuts. Newhouse added that new federal offices need places to sit, write, and meet, similar to the private sector.

McMahon is seeking to permanently close the Department of Education. She signed an executive order in 2025 directing the department to close. Congress created the department, so it can only be dissolved by Congress. The Republican-controlled chambers have not yet moved to do so. The administration has reduced the department’s power by other means.

The administration has nearly halved the department’s staffing. It moved department-specific responsibilities to other agencies through interagency agreements. Special education services now fall under the Department of Health and Human Services. Civil rights enforcement has moved to the Department of Justice. Trump and McMahon argue this shift gives states more authority over education and eliminates bureaucratic processes, even though states already control most education policies.