Delaware and a coalition of states have launched a legal and political fight against the Trump Administration’s sweeping efforts to cut funding for key education and cultural exchange programs, a move that has sent shockwaves through communities and institutions nationwide. The controversy, which erupted in mid-2025, centers on attempts to defund everything from early childhood education services in Delaware to international exchange programs that have long been cornerstones of U.S. public diplomacy.
On August 15, 2025, Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced the state’s participation in a lawsuit challenging what she described as the Trump Administration’s “unlawful attempt to defund Head Start and other education programs in Delaware communities.” According to the official statement, the administration’s actions threatened to strip more than $11 million in federal grants supporting over 250 education programs and serving more than 50,000 Delawareans of all ages, including some of the state’s most vulnerable children.
“We have never had to fight so hard to defend children—in this case some of Delaware’s most vulnerable—from their own president,” Jennings declared, as reported by the Delaware Department of Justice. “Threatening to defund these critical education programs is illegal – and while Donald Trump may not care about that fact, the Courts certainly do. Every child in our state is my constituent and I will always go to the mat for them. We’ll see you in court.”
The legal battle began after the Delaware Department of Education learned in early July 2025 that the Trump Administration, through the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Social Services, was attempting to reinterpret the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA). This reinterpretation would bar safety net programs—including Head Start, Meals on Wheels, and community health centers—from serving children, seniors, and other individuals unable to verify their immigration status, upending decades of bipartisan policy, according to Delaware officials.
Head Start, established in 1965, is a federally funded initiative aimed at promoting school readiness for children from birth to age five, particularly those from low-income families, children with disabilities, and those experiencing homelessness or in foster care. The program not only provides crucial educational resources but also supports cognitive, social, and emotional development, as well as critical childcare for working families. If funding were to be reduced or terminated, young children and families would lose access to essential educational, nutritional, and healthcare services, with potentially severe long-term consequences. In rural Delaware, where access to such services is already limited, the impacts could be devastating.
But the threatened cuts reach beyond early childhood education. According to state officials, the Trump Administration’s actions jeopardize a range of education services, including adult literacy programs, English language learning, and career and technical education in public schools and community colleges. These programs offer dual-credit opportunities—such as Advanced Placement, Dual Enrollment, and apprenticeship programs—providing both secondary and postsecondary credits to thousands of Delaware residents.
Governor Matt Meyer voiced strong support for the lawsuit, stating, “When we let our children down, we put their futures at risk. Delaware’s elected leaders are focused on ensuring every student receives a high-quality early education regardless of their circumstances. I fully support Attorney General Jennings’ decision to join this lawsuit and defend Delaware’s youth.”
Secretary of Education Cindy Marten echoed the sentiment, highlighting the bipartisan legacy of Head Start: “For decades, the Head Start program has been one of the few truly bipartisan programs in Washington, DC, because it works. Head Start provides access to opportunities for children and families who might otherwise have no hope of achieving their dreams. On behalf of these young people, I want to express our gratitude for the never-ending fight our Attorney General and our Governor are waging to save our system of education.”
The lawsuit, filed alongside Kentucky and Pennsylvania and joining a 20-state coalition, contends that the federal government acted unlawfully by issuing these policy changes without adhering to the required procedures under the Administrative Procedure Act. It further argues that the administration misapplied PRWORA, targeting entire programs instead of individual benefits, and violated the Constitution’s Spending Clause by imposing new funding conditions on states without proper notice or consent. The coalition seeks to have the new rules declared unlawful, their implementation halted, and the longstanding agency practices restored.
Meanwhile, on the national stage, the Trump Administration’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has moved to cut over 20 cultural exchange programs under the Department of State, totaling roughly $100 million in annual funding, according to Newsweek. The Alliance for International Exchange reported that at least 22 programs from the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) are on the chopping block, including the Community College Administrator Program, Mandela Washington Fellowship, and TechWomen. These programs, many of which operate under the J visa system, enable foreign nationals to come to the U.S. for work experience as teachers, camp counselors, and au pairs, while also allowing Americans to gain international exposure.
“While this does not impact flagship programs like Fulbright, Gilman, and IVLP at the moment, it sets a dangerous precedent,” warned Mark Overmann, executive director of the Alliance, in his statement to Newsweek. “If OMB is allowed to act with impunity and unilaterally and cancel already appropriated ECA funding, it opens the door for them to do it again and again in the future.”
The State Department, for its part, said that selected educational and cultural program grants were not being awarded in 2025 following a “careful review” of the fiscal environment. A spokesperson referred Newsweek to Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s previous comments: “Every dollar we spend, every program we fund, every policy we pursue must be justified by the answer to one of three questions: Does it make America safer? Does it make America stronger? Or does it make America more prosperous?”
Many of the programs targeted for cuts have received high marks in recent evaluations. For example, the Community College Administrator Program was lauded in a 2024 State Department report for providing alumni with “theoretical and practical knowledge that directly contributes to participants' ability to influence change within their home institutions and to change education policy as well.” The cuts have raised concerns that thousands of American students currently abroad on ECA funding could be left stranded if their programs are suddenly terminated.
Although flagship initiatives like the Fulbright Program are not immediately affected, Overmann stressed that the precedent could put even these storied programs at risk in the future. “This endangers the future of Fulbright, Gilman, and all international exchange programs and the effectiveness of U.S. public diplomacy,” he said.
With the federal government agreeing not to enforce its controversial PRWORA interpretation until September 10, 2025, uncertainty lingers for the hundreds of education and exchange program participants caught in the crossfire. As the lawsuits proceed and political debates intensify, the fate of these programs—and the futures of those who rely on them—hangs in the balance.
The coming months may prove decisive for the future of American education and cultural diplomacy, as courts and policymakers grapple with questions that cut to the heart of national priorities and values.