President Donald Trump announced plans for a sweeping overhaul of the American education system during remarks at an Easter prayer service and dinner. Speaking to attendees, Trump sharply criticized the country’s academic performance despite high per-student spending. He compared the United States unfavorably to countries such as Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and China, all of which he said consistently rank in the top ten globally.

“We spend more than any other country per student, and yet we rank very low,” Trump stated. “It’s Denmark and Norway, Sweden — even China does very well — in the top 10.” He argued that population size is not an excuse for poor performance, referencing China’s academic achievements despite its vast population.

Trump pledged to decentralize control of education by shifting authority from the federal government to individual states. He said this strategy would eliminate what he called “radical indoctrination” in schools and instead foster a renewed focus on educational quality and results.

“We’re going to return education to the states where it belongs,” Trump declared. “That will make a tremendous difference in how our students perform. We will put parents and teachers back in charge, not federal bureaucrats.”

He expressed confidence that a state-led approach would lead to improvements in student performance nationwide. By empowering local governments and educators, Trump argued, the U.S. could reclaim a leading position in global education rankings.

The comments come amid ongoing national debate over school curricula, classroom standards, and parental involvement in public education. Trump’s remarks signal a continued focus on education policy in his administration’s second term, with an emphasis on reducing centralized control and promoting localized solutions.

While Trump did not detail specific legislation or timelines, his pledge to implement reforms suggests upcoming efforts to shift authority and reshape national education priorities. His reference to international education models highlights the administration’s interest in benchmarking success against top-performing countries.