Trump’s Budget Proposal Would Fully Eliminate Head Start

The Trump administration’s 2026 budget proposal would completely eliminate the Head Start program—a program that has provided child care, preschool education, meals, and health services to low-income families since 1965. Over the years, it has supported nearly 65 million families, giving children a strong start and helping parents stay in the workforce.

Cutting this funding would be devastating. Without it, nearly 800,000 children would lose access to basic needs like meals, developmental screenings, and health care, according to the executive director of the National Head Start Association. For many families, this program is the only way their children get these critical services. It would also leave around 1 million parents without reliable child care, making it harder for them to keep their jobs and support their families.

This isn’t the first blow to the program. The administration’s push for government efficiency through the DOGE initiative has already made things worse. Just this month, layoffs at the Department of Health and Human Services forced about half a dozen regional Head Start offices to shut down, disrupting services that families depend on.

What happens next will depend heavily on how Congress responds to the proposal. While the president can suggest eliminating Head Start, only Congress has the power to approve or reject the federal budget. It remains uncertain whether congressional Republicans—who have mostly supported President Trump’s agenda during his second term—will be willing to break with the White House to defend the future of Head Start.