Trump, McMahon Host White House ‘Back to School’ Event — Tout Parental Rights Push

President Donald Trump and Education Secretary Linda McMahon hosted a Rose Garden event Monday championing parental rights and school choice as schoolchildren and families gathered at the White House.

The “Back to School” event spotlighted administration policy goals under the Working Families Tax Cuts Act and McMahon’s ongoing push to return Department of Education responsibilities to state control.

“At his direction, we are working hand in hand with the Department of Justice to ensure no school district ever has more power over a child than their own parents.”

McMahon told the crowd Trump is committed to putting parents “back in the driver’s seats where they rightfully belong” and “defending parental rights like never before.”

She highlighted how the Biden administration allowed schools to secretly transition students without parental knowledge — a practice the Trump administration is now reversing through DOJ partnership.

Trump pointed to his administration’s executive actions on critical race theory, gender policies in schools, and women’s sports — including an executive order protecting women’s sports and federal Title IX enforcement.

The president reiterated his support for expanding school choice options and education tax credits, encouraging families to consider alternatives to underperforming public schools.

The administration continues to advocate for policies that allow public funds to follow students to the learning environments their parents choose.

Trump made the case for expanding school choice by arguing America spends more on education than any other country while producing disappointing results. He highlighted the Education Freedom Tax Credit as a solution.

The White House maintains the school choice program will offer families more control over children’s education. Opponents warn it weakens public school budgets to benefit private schools.

Conservative supporters counter that the tax law expands parental options rather than restricting them. Education Policy Analyst Colleen Hroncich noted a growing trend of dissatisfied families seeking alternatives to traditional public education — including charter, private, home, and micro-schooling models.

At the event’s conclusion, Trump invited the audience — including dozens of schoolchildren — to walk with him to view the ongoing construction of a new helipad and ballroom-slash-military complex on the White House grounds.

The Supreme Court temporarily permitted ballroom construction to continue on Friday, though a final legal ruling remains pending.

“I’m going to be walking down here in about two minutes to meet with the people that are building the heliport, and you’ll see right alongside of it the great structure that’s rising right next to the White House, and that’s going to be the ballroom-slash-military complex. It’s incredible. If you’d like to follow me, especially with the kids — the kids could see construction. I love the sound of construction. When I hear all that banging out there, some people say, ‘Oh, that’s too bad,’ and I say, ‘I love it.'”

Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen joined Trump and McMahon at the construction site, where Trump showed families the progress on the South Lawn project.