Trump embraces AI
'We want to bring education back to the states, take the federal government out of it, little, tiny bit of supervision, but very little, almost nothing, like to make sure they speak English,' Trump told reporters Tuesday on Air Force One.
Since taking office, the Trump administration has sought to lay off about half of the agency's workforce, while transferring core functions, including student loans management, to other federal departments.
Those efforts were blocked in May by a U.S. district judge, who ruled that Trump needed congressional authorization. The judge ordered about 1,400 workers who had been laid off to be reinstated.
The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 along ideological lines on Monday that the administration could move forward.
'The United States Supreme Court has handed a Major Victory to Parents and Students across the Country, by declaring the Trump Administration may proceed on returning the functions of the Department of Education BACK TO THE STATES,' Trump posted on Truth Social. 'Now, with this GREAT Supreme Court Decision, our Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, may begin this very important process.'
The Hill's Lexi Lonas has five takeaways from the Supreme Court's decision. For more Supreme Court coverage, sign up for The Gavel, The Hill's courts newsletter.
• Top Democrats are calling for the release of all government files pertaining to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after the Trump administration concluded the disgraced financier didn't keep a 'client list.'
'The American people deserve to know the truth,' said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.). 'What, if anything, is the Trump administration and the Department of Justice hiding?'
Democrats have pivoted from calling the Epstein case a conspiracy theory, to alleging a cover-up meant to protect Trump.
'If there are literally other people on this list who are somehow implicated in these actions, it is dangerous to public health and safety not to release the names publicly,' Rep. Jamie Raskin (Md.), the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, said on MSNBC 's 'Deadline: White House.'
Trump is looking to move on and GOP lawmakers want nothing to do with the controversy, which has provoked anger and disbelief among top Trump-aligned conservatives on the right.
The Hill's Alexander Bolton writes:
'Republican lawmakers don't want to go near the Epstein controversy that divides their base. They already have their hands full responding to political attacks from Democrats on Trump's tariff policies and on the Medicaid spending cuts they passed into law this month, along with trillions of dollars in tax relief and new spending on border security and defense.'
Trump on Tuesday reiterated his baseless claim that Democrats created the Epstein files as a 'hoax.' He also defended Attorney General Pam Bondi, who has been under fire.
'The Attorney General has handled that very well,' he said. 'She is, she's really done a very good job.'
• Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev dismissed Trump's ultimatum against Russia.
'Trump issued a theatrical ultimatum to the Kremlin,' Medvedev posted on X. 'The world shuddered, expecting the consequences. Belligerent Europe was disappointed. Russia didn't care.'
Trump on Monday announced Russia has 50 days to end the war with Ukraine or face steep economic sanctions. The U.S. will also begin selling Patriot missiles and other defensive munitions to NATO to be transferred to Ukraine to assist in the war effort.
Trump has been lashing out at Russian President Vladimir Putin for refusing to end the war.
'I'm disappointed in him, but I'm not done with him,' Trump said in an interview with the BBC published Tuesday.
But Trump told reporters on Tuesday the U.S. would not give Ukraine long range missiles, and he warned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky against targeting Moscow.
'No, he shouldn't target Moscow,' Trump said.
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