School loans, nutrition get new homes in Trump plan to end Education Department

• The Small Business Administration will take over student loans, and the Department of Health and Human Services will oversee special needs and nutrition programs moving forward, Trump said in the White House.

Context: Trump's Thursday executive order directed Education Secretary Linda McMahon "to take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return education authority to the States."

• The order also said she should ensure the continued delivery of crucial services and programs.
• Shuttering the Department of Education, which enforces protections for students with disabilities, would require an act of Congress.

Between the lines: Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who would oversee management of special needs and nutrition programs under Trump's plan, has falsely claimed childhood vaccinations are linked to autism.

• His Make America Healthy Again movement targets processing ultra-processed foods, but also promotes raw milk consumption against the advisement of the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Zoom out: The news comes as the Small Business Administration also said it would reduce its workforce by 43%, or about 2,700 people, in an "agency-wide reorganization."

• The Department of Education manages about $1.5 trillion in student debt for more than 40 million borrowers. Trump has already blocked student loan forgiveness and repayment plans.
• "The SBA stands ready to take the lead on restoring accountability and integrity to America's student loan portfolio," SBA administrator Kelly Loeffler said on X.

Go deeper: What dismantling Education Department means for student loans

Editor's note: This story has been updated with details throughout.