Education Secretary Linda McMahon told Newsmax on Tuesday night that the planned cuts to about 50% of her agency’s workforce began earlier the day with email notices sent to affected employees.

Before President Donald Trump’s inauguration, the department said it had 4,133 employees and it will have 2,138 after the cuts. Included in the workforce reduction are nearly 600 employees who accepted voluntary resignation opportunities and retirement over the past seven weeks.

“We wanted to make sure that everybody got [their notice] before they left [for the day],” McMahon told “The Record With Greta Van Susteren.” “But [we met with] their department heads and everyone … this afternoon, both career folks and political folks, to fully discuss [it] with them.

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