Is Donald Trump improving the US government?

Both sidesSays it is contested

Short answer: it depends on what “improve” means to you. A few datapoints from Donald Trump’s current term (he was sworn in again on January 20, 2025) show a mixed picture:

•Management and performance: GAO says OMB met some statutory requirements (like setting new cross‑agency goals in late 2025) but agencies and OMB still need to fully address newer performance‑management requirements. In short: partial progress, gaps remain.[1]

•Cyber/tech modernization: The White House issued an executive order in June 2026 to accelerate the federal transition to post‑quantum cryptography, with OMB-directed agency actions and deadlines. That’s a concrete modernization step, though implementation and funding will determine results.[2]

•Federal workforce/capacity: OPM data show the civilian workforce shrank notably in 2025; Pew estimates about a 10% decline in Trump’s first year back. Supporters see leaner government; critics worry about service capacity and expertise loss.[3]

•Fiscal outlook: CBO projects large and rising deficits over the next decade under laws in place in 2026 (about a $1.9 trillion deficit in FY2026), which raises questions about long‑term fiscal sustainability.[4]

Bottom line: there are visible efforts to modernize and streamline, alongside concerns about capacity and fiscal sustainability. If you tell me which aspects of “improving government” you care most about (service quality, costs/deficits, civil‑service independence, speed of decisions, regulation, etc.), I can dig in on those specifically.

Citations (4)

1usa.govGovernment
Presidents, vice presidents, and first ladies | USAGov
Backs: “GAO says OMB met some statutory requirements (like setting new cross‑agency goals in late 2025) but agencies and OMB still need to fully address newer performance‑management requirements. In short: partial progress, gaps remain.”
evidence, reference entry, neutral. Claim: GAO says OMB met some statutory performance requirements but agencies and OMB still need to address newer performance-management requirements; partial progress, gaps remain.
2whitehouse.govGovernment
Securing the Nation Against Advanced Cryptographic Attacks – The White House
Backs: “That’s a concrete modernization step, though implementation and funding will determine results.”
evidence, official document, points to yes. Claim: White House issued June 2026 executive order accelerating federal transition to post-quantum cryptography, with OMB-directed agency actions and deadlines.
3pewresearch.orgNonprofits and think tanks
Federal workforce shrank 10% in Trump’s first year back in office | Pew Research Center
Backs: “Supporters see leaner government; critics worry about service capacity and expertise loss.”
statistic, article, neutral. Claim: Federal civilian workforce shrank about 10% in Trump's first year back; supporters see leaner government, critics worry about capacity.
4cbo.govGovernment
The Budget and Economic Outlook: 2026 to 2036 | Congressional Budget Office
Backs: “CBO projects large and rising deficits over the next decade under laws in place in 2026 (about a $1.9 trillion deficit in FY2026), which raises questions about long‑term fiscal sustainability.”
statistic, official document, points to no. Claim: CBO projects large, rising deficits, about $1.9 trillion in FY2026, raising long-term fiscal sustainability questions.