Linda McMahon, the head of the U.S. Department of Education under President Trump, is defending the administration’s decision to resume student loan debt collections starting May 5. The move will affect approximately 5.3 million borrowers who are currently in default.
“American taxpayers will no longer be forced to serve as collateral for irresponsible student loan policies,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement. “The Biden Administration misled borrowers: the executive branch does not have the constitutional authority to wipe debt away, nor do the loan balances simply disappear.”
McMahon placed blame on universities, accusing them of inflating tuition costs and enrolling students in programs with little to no value, leading many into unmanageable debt. She argued that colleges have benefited financially from student loan forgiveness measures introduced during the Biden administration, which she called unsustainable.
She also stressed the importance of accountability from both students and higher education institutions, stating that student loans must be repaid to avoid shifting the financial burden onto taxpayers.
The decision to restart collections follows the federal courts’ rejection of President Biden’s efforts to cancel a significant portion of student debt.