The White House is preparing an executive order to eliminate the Department of Education, two sources familiar with the plans told NBC News.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he would like to close the U.S. Department of Education using an executive order but acknowledged he would need buy-ins from Congress and teachers' unions to fulfill his campaign pledge to do so.

Two sources told NBC News that the White House is preparing an executive order to eliminate the Department of Education. NBC News’ Gabe Gutierrez reports on the order that could come in February, following up on a promise President Donald Trump made during his campaign.

The full quote attributed to Leavitt was: "They want you to panic, but Trump wants you to remember Jesus didn't have electricity either, and he did just fine." (@BraddrofliT on X) The claim that Leavitt said these words appeared in posts on social media platforms including X (archived),

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Trump’s tariff wins with Canada, Mexico 'PROUDEST COUNTRY': White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt discusses President Trump's trade war wins after both Canada and Mexico caved to the president's demands to help secure the northern and southern borders or face high tariffs.