FACT BRIEF

Did Donald Trump threaten to withhold funding to schools based on how they teach history?

Tuesday, October 29, 2024

By Tom Kertscher

View this fact brief on Wisconsin Watch

Copy link

Copy featured image

YES

Former President Donald Trump said in a TV interview he would withhold federal funding from schools based on how they teach history.

Repeating a pledge he made campaigning, Trump told "Fox & Friends" he would close the U.S. Education Department.

Host Brian Kilmeade asked: "So, let's say you have a liberal city ... and they just decide, 'Oh, we're going to get rid of that history. We have new history. This is America built off the backs of slaves on stolen land.' And that curriculum comes in."

Trump replied: “Then we don't send them money. We would save half of our budget.”

Democratic Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers made the claim about what Trump said in an interview about the Nov. 5 election.

About 14% of the $857 billion in fiscal 2022 public K-12 school funding was federal, according to an August 2024 report from the Peter G. Peterson Foundation.

See a full discussion of this at Wisconsin Watch

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

Sources

Forbes Breaking News Trump: 'I'm Going To Close The Department Of Education And Move Education Back To The States'

Fox News Trump says he was 'surprised' Kamala Harris skipped Al Smith dinner: 'Terrible'

Roll Call Donald Trump "Fox & Friends" interview

101.7 The Truth Tony Evers interview

Peter G. Peterson Foundation How Is K-12 Education Funded?

ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR

Wisconsin Watch

Wisconsin Watch, the news arm of the nonpartisan, nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, increases the quality and quantity of investigative reporting in Wisconsin, while training current and future investigative journalists. Its work fosters an informed citizenry and strengthens democracy.