Donald Trump ’s bid to gut the US Department of Education “makes no sense”, according to workers inside the federal agency, who accuse the administration of trying to make their lives “as difficult and traumatic as possible”.

Three employees inside the department spoke to the Guardian, with one warning that morale has been “completely lost”, 10 months after Trump returned to the White House. All requested to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation.

On Tuesday afternoon Linda McMahon, the education secretary, held an all-staff meeting and announced plans to press ahead with dismantling the department.

Key operations are set to be handed off to a string of other agencies, including the departments of interior, health and human services, labor and state. While the move is technically t

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