Greene: Effectively, it’s solely been a month, so we’re nonetheless engaged on the main points. However I’ve received some sensible attorneys asking how we would levy a surcharge on debtors who use public cash to go to costly schools or get graduate levels, after which use these {dollars} to fund President Trump’s American Academy. That’s on prime of the cash President Trump might be squeezing out of these fats school endowments. And our attorneys assume there’s wording within the legislation that’ll allow us to prolong $20,000 in forgivable pupil “loans” to our base—working-class highschool graduates—as long as they’re subscribing to tutorial podcasts and movies, like Joe Rogan or Tucker Carlson.
Tapper: You talked about punishing enemies. Are you able to say extra?
Greene: Certain, Jake. You in all probability recall that in 2021 Cardona’s division teamed up with the Nationwide College Boards Affiliation to sic the FBI on conservative mother and father who raised considerations about masks mandates, faculty closures, and woke curricula. Effectively, as you may think about, after I instructed President Trump about all this, he instantly noticed the chance to go after the true home terrorists: school professors, campus protesters, and communists. So, keep tuned.
Tapper: You say that you simply’ve seen alternatives to disregard the legislation and stonewall Congress. It sounds such as you’re spoiling for a battle. True?
Greene: Under no circumstances, Jake. I’m simply following the “precedent” that’s been established. Look, Cardona confirmed you don’t actually need to observe the legislation; there’s simply not a lot that Congress can do about it. Take a look at FAFSA. Again in 2020, Congress gave the division three years to simplify a kind. Effectively, Cardona was so busy forgiving loans that he couldn’t be bothered to get it carried out. And guess what? Congress couldn’t do a lot about it. He refused to share paperwork with them, rejected requires accountability, obstructed subpoenas, and stiff-armed oversight. If the Democrats who took over the Home come after us, I’m simply planning to mud off the Cardona playbook. So, I say deliver it on!
Tapper: The rest you’ve picked up from Secretary Cardona?
Greene: How a lot time do you have got? The analysis geeks at my division have all these statistics they put out. Boring, proper? Effectively, when Cardona was in cost, he used the division’s knowledge releases to push the administration’s speaking factors and assault Republican governors. That makes issues an entire lot spicier. I’m trying ahead to doing the identical. And we’re planning to associate in all this with Reality Social and X to ensure we’re educating the general public on what the numbers imply for President Trump’s agenda.
Tapper: So even statistics may be political?
Greene: That’s not all, Jake. Final summer time, not 24 hours after President Trump was shot and election-poaching White Home occupant Joe Biden referred to as for unity, Cardona attacked Republicans in a taxpayer-funded division communication. Two can play at this recreation. The American individuals can anticipate to see a variety of me of their inbox! Final fall, Cardona’s taxpayer-funded “Again to College” tour spent three of its 4 days doing partisan speaking factors throughout the election homestretch in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. Effectively, President Trump and I like hardball politics, too. I simply didn’t understand how a lot of it you may get away with on this function. Now I do.
Tapper: Effectively, Madam Secretary, I admire you taking the time to go to with us. Good luck in your new function.
Greene: Consider me, I’m trying ahead to it.
