Multiple members of Congress were denied entry to the Department of Education on Friday, according to videos and social media posts from lawmakers.
“They are blocking members of Congress from entering the Department of Education! Elon is allowed in and not the people? ILLEGAL,” Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) said in a post on X, referring to Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and head of the Department of Government Efficiency.
Multiple people are seen in the videos arguing with what appeared to be a security guard outside the building.
One lawmaker trying to get into the building said the security guard is a private contractor and not a government employee, according to a video from NewsNation, which like The Hill is owned by Nexstar Media.
The incident comes amid rising temperatures over the Trump administration’s efforts to shut down the Education Department completely.
President Trump has said he would like to close the department via executive order, though doing so would require congressional action. Trump is reportedly weighing executive actions to shutter parts of the agency, or move its primary functions elsewhere.
Trump and Musk have also moved aggressively against other government agencies, particularly the U.S. Agency for International Development.
“Billionaires can go in this building but not representatives,” said Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) in a video. “There’s a lack in transparency here.”
Another video by Frost shows armed policeman showing up to the scene.
“They’ve called armed federal officers to the scene. We aren’t dangerous. We are here to represent our people. To defend public education. This is an authoritarian regime. You cannot block members of Congress from entering the Department of Education,” Frost said in another post on X.
The Hill has reached out to the Department of Education for comment.
