Chiropractic Chronicle Archive

UPDATE: Tensions Escalate Over Trump’s Plan to Dismantle the Department of Education—Chiropractic Cartel’s Grip on Power in Jeopardy

Originally published: 2025-02-07

February 7, 2025 – The battle over the future of the U.S. Department of Education took a dramatic turn today as reports emerged that members of Congress were denied entry to the Department’s headquarters. According to multiple posts on X and sources monitoring the situation, security personnel blocked access to the building, with Democratic lawmakers appearing to be the primary individuals prevented from entering.

This event coincides with increasing speculation that President Donald Trump’s administration is actively working to dismantle the Department of Education from within, fulfilling a long-standing promise to shift control over education back to the states. With H.R. 899 still pending in Congress, today’s events raise questions about whether the administration is taking executive actions to weaken or defund the department before full legislative repeal can be achieved.

What This Means for Chiropractic and the Cartel’s Monopoly

For the Chiropractic Cartel, this news represents a direct threat to the federally backed monopoly that has controlled chiropractic education and licensure for decades. The Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE), the Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards (FCLB), and the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE) all derive their authority and legitimacy from the Department of Education’s accreditation system either directly or indirectly. If the department is defunded, weakened, or abolished, the entire foundation of their power could collapse.

For rank-and-file chiropractors who have long opposed the Cartel’s monopoly, today’s developments signal an unprecedented opportunity for reform. Without a federally sanctioned accreditor controlling the profession, alternative chiropractic schools and licensing pathways could emerge, ending decades of exclusionary practices.

Key Implications of Today’s Events for Chiropractic

1. The Chiropractic Cartel Faces an Existential Crisis

   • If Trump succeeds in dismantling or abolishing the Department of Education, the CCE’s federal recognition as the sole accreditor of chiropractic education could disappear.

   • This would allow states to take control of chiropractic education and licensing, opening the door for competition and philosophical diversity.

2. A Shift to State-Based Accreditation and Licensing

   • Many chiropractors have argued for state-level accreditation bodies to break the CCE’s stranglehold. Today’s events may accelerate this shift, leading to greater autonomy in chiropractic education and licensing decisions at the state level.

3. The Cartel’s Influence Over Student Loans May Crumble

   • The Department of Education also plays a role in student loan programs, which have artificially inflated tuition costs at CCE-accredited institutions. If the federal government exits the education sector, alternative funding models and lower-cost chiropractic schools may emerge.

4. The Chiropractic Cartel Will Fight Back—Hard

   • Expect CCE, FCLB, and NBCE to launch an aggressive lobbying campaign to shift their monopoly’s authority to state licensing boards or privately controlled accreditation systems.

   • They may attempt to pressure state governments to retain their influence by arguing that alternative chiropractic schools and accrediting bodies are “unqualified” or “unsafe.”

Chiropractors Must Seize This Moment

The question is no longer if the Chiropractic Cartel’s grip will loosen—it’s now when and how. The events unfolding in Washington, D.C., today are a clear sign that federal education policy is undergoing a major transformation that could finally break the Cartel’s monopoly over chiropractic education.

For decades, rank-and-file chiropractors have been forced to conform to a system designed to control the profession, limit competition, and enforce ideological uniformity. Now, that system is under direct attack from an administration that is willing to take unprecedented action to dismantle federal control over education.

This is the moment for chiropractors who believe in choice, free-market competition, and philosophical diversity to step up and demand reforms. Chiropractors must:

• Support state-based accreditation and licensing alternatives that break away from the CCE’s outdated model.

• Advocate for new educational institutions that represent a broader range of chiropractic philosophies.

• Resist efforts by the Cartel to shift their monopoly to state regulatory agencies.

Conclusion: The Cartel’s Days Are Numbered

With members of Congress being physically blocked from accessing the Department of Education, the Trump administration is sending a clear message: drastic changes are coming. The Chiropractic Cartel, long propped up by the Department of Education’s accreditation system, must now face a future where their monopoly is no longer guaranteed.

This is a turning point for chiropractic—a chance to break free from decades of centralized control and build a future where competition, innovation, and educational diversity can thrive. The only question is whether the profession will seize this opportunity or allow the Cartel to find new ways to maintain its grip on power.