Overview

• The Senate confirmed Nicholas Kent by a 50–45 vote on August 4 without holding a public hearing, and he was sworn in as under secretary on August 5.
• In his initial letter to department staff, Kent emphasized controlling student debt, building public trust, and ensuring postsecondary programs deliver workforce-aligned returns on investment.
• He criticized the Education Department’s oversight of its $1.7 trillion loan portfolio—which carries a nearly 25% default rate—and signaled potential restructuring of federal loan servicing.
• Education Secretary Linda McMahon praised Kent’s technical expertise as an asset for advancing the administration’s push to roll back Biden-era regulations on higher education.
• Stakeholders welcomed his focus on accountability and market-driven reforms despite concerns that his ties to for-profit colleges could undermine consumer protections.