Is Donald Trump improving the US government?

Short answer: It depends what you mean by “improving.”

If you judge “improvement” as making the federal government smaller and less regulatory:

•Size/structure: Since returning to office on January 20, 2025, Trump reinstated “Schedule F” for policy‑influencing civil‑service jobs and used separation programs that coincided with a large drop in the federal workforce. Independent tallies using OPM data show roughly a 10% net decline in 2025 alone, with GAO documenting steep losses at several agencies. Supporters say this makes government leaner and more accountable; critics warn about loss of expertise and service capacity.[1]

•Deregulation/permitting: Trump issued executive orders directing agencies to repeal many more rules than they issue and to cap total regulatory costs. The White House also rewrote NEPA procedures to speed federal permitting. Backers credit these steps with cutting red tape; opponents point to legal risks and reduced environmental review.[2]

If you judge “improvement” by fiscal sustainability, overall performance, and public confidence:

•Fiscal picture: CBO projects the FY2026 federal deficit at about 5.8% of GDP—elevated by historical standards—so there’s little evidence of a fiscal turnaround so far.[3]

•Broad outcomes: The economy has been mixed—solid real GDP growth in Q3 2026 and a still‑low unemployment rate alongside inflation running above the Fed’s 2% goal. Whether you credit or blame the administration, these are the conditions under which the government is operating.[4]

•Public trust/approval: Surveys in 2026 show declining confidence in the federal government’s effectiveness and weak approval of Trump’s performance, suggesting many Americans do not feel governance has improved.[5]

Bottom line

•If your benchmark is a smaller, more hard‑charging executive branch with fewer regulations and faster permitting, the administration has clearly moved the system in that direction.[2]

•If your benchmark is stronger delivery capacity, steady institutional norms, higher public trust, and improved fiscal balance, the evidence to date is mixed to negative.[6]

If you tell me which aspects you care about—size of government, service quality, rulemaking, budgets, or public trust—I can pull the most relevant, latest indicators for that slice and compare them to pre‑January 20, 2025 levels.[7]

Citations (7)

1govinfo.govGovernment
Administration of Donald J. Trump, 2025
Backs: “Supporters say this makes government leaner and more accountable; critics warn about loss of expertise and service capacity.”
2epa.govGovernment
Executive Order 14192 - Unleashing Prosperity through Deregulation | US EPA
Backs: “Backers credit these steps with cutting red tape; opponents point to legal risks and reduced environmental review.”
3cbo.govGovernment
Frequently Asked Questions | Congressional Budget Office
Backs: “CBO projects the FY2026 federal deficit at about 5.8% of GDP—elevated by historical standards—so there’s little evidence of a fiscal turnaround so far.”
4bea.govGovernment
GDP (Advance Estimate), 3rd Quarter 2026 | U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA)
Backs: “Whether you credit or blame the administration, these are the conditions under which the government is operating.”
5gallup.comCompanies
Confidence in Federal Government to Improve Lives Falters
Backs: “Surveys in 2026 show declining confidence in the federal government’s effectiveness and weak approval of Trump’s performance, suggesting many Americans do not feel governance has improved.”
6gao.govGovernment
GAO-26-108583, Federal Agency Workforce Changes: Update for July 2025 to January 2026
Backs: “If your benchmark is stronger delivery capacity, steady institutional norms, higher public trust, and improved fiscal balance, the evidence to date is mixed to negative.”
7usa.govGovernment
Presidents, vice presidents, and first ladies | USAGov
Backs: “If you tell me which aspects you care about—size of government, service quality, rulemaking, budgets, or public trust—I can pull the most relevant, latest indicators for that slice and compare them to pre‑January 20, 2025 levels.”