Is Donald Trump improving the US government?

Is the U.S. government improving under Trump? I'll gather recent data on reforms and performance to give you a balanced view.

Whether the Trump administration is improving the U.S. government is disputed, with different evaluations depending on which metrics are used. Supporters and the administration point to efficiency and modernization reforms, while nonpartisan watchdogs, federal workforce surveys, and public opinion polling point to decreased effectiveness and morale.

Administration and supporter claims - efficiency, deregulation and modernization

The White House says President Trump has prioritized innovation and efficiency to make government "smaller, smarter, and work for the American people" , including sweeping reforms to eliminate waste, reduce bureaucracy and restore accountability .

Specific claims cited include:

•Launching America.gov as a single digital point of entry to access federal services , described as implementing modern technology to improve how the federal government serves Americans .

•Reducing the backlog of veterans waiting for benefits by 74% .

•The Vice President's Fraud Task Force uncovering over $260 billion in fraud since January 2025 .

•Deregulation: The White House OIRA reported 646 deregulatory actions finalized in FY2025 compared to 5 regulatory actions , claiming $211.8 billion in net cost savings , and projecting $1.5 trillion in savings in FY2026 alone .

•Government efficiency reforms saving an estimated $215 billion — about $1,335 per taxpayer — and shrinking the federal workforce to its lowest level since 1966 .

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was established in January 2025 under President Trump's second administration , with the US DOGE Service Temporary Organization slated to terminate on July 4, 2026 . DOGE staff have transitioned to full-time roles in agencies like GSA, Treasury and DOD . Despite DOGE expiring July 4 under a 2025 executive order , the administration has pressed ahead with measures aimed at reining in the federal workforce .

Critic and watchdog assessments - effectiveness and workforce impact

The nonprofit, nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service, on the first anniversary of Trump's second inauguration, released a report concluding that workforce reductions have decreased the effectiveness of government services, not achieved stated efficiency goals and were conducted with minimal transparency .

The report characterized the first year of Trump's second term as "the most radical transformation of the federal government in over a half-century" , and argued cuts at agencies like the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Federal Emergency Management Agency and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have made the U.S. less prepared for a future 9/11, Hurricane Katrina or COVID-19-type event .

Other findings cited by the Partnership and related coverage:

•Government spending increased between fiscal 2024 and 2025 despite cost-cutting measures .

•A survey of 11,083 federal workers, designed to mirror the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, assigned the administration a score of 32 out of 100 for employee satisfaction and engagement, with 58% reporting engagement gotten worse compared to 2024 .

•Only 7.5% of employees agreed that political leaders generate high levels of motivation in the workforce , and the administration received a "failing grade" on management from the federal workforce in the Partnership's summary .

•The political appointee workforce is at its largest size in decades while career Senior Executive Service ranks decreased by nearly 30% since the start of the second Trump administration .

Public opinion on government management

Polling shows declining approval of Trump's handling of the presidency:

•At the start of his second term approval was 47% , declining to an average of 36 to 37% throughout 2025 to 2026 .

•Recent readings include Civiqs ending Oct 30, 2026 at 34% approval and 60% disapproval and Pew Research at 30% approve, 68% disapprove .

•A Partnership for Public Service survey found 63% of Americans say management of government is heading in the "wrong direction" and only 20% say "right direction" .

In summary, evaluations depend on priorities: those valuing deregulation, workforce reduction, and centralized digital services tend to view the changes as improvements, while those valuing service effectiveness, institutional capacity, transparency, and workforce morale tend to view them as worsening government performance.

Citations (3)

1whitehouse.govGovernment
Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Streamlines Access to Government Services Through America.gov
Backs: “Supporters and the administration point to efficiency and modernization reforms, while nonpartisan watchdogs, federal workforce surveys, and public opinion polling point to decreased effectiveness and morale. Administration and supporter claims - efficiency, deregulation and modernization. The White House says…”
2whitehouse.govGovernment
President Trump Delivers Historic Results for the American People in Under Two Years
Backs: “Deregulation: The White House OIRA reported 646 deregulatory actions finalized in FY2025 compared to 5 regulatory actions , claiming $211.8 billion in net cost savings , and projecting $1.5 trillion in savings in FY2026 alone .”
3govexec.comNews and mediaquality 0.87
‘Harder days ahead in 2026’: Good government group predicts increased political interference in the civil service in Trump’s second year
Backs: “Despite DOGE expiring July 4 under a 2025 executive order , the administration has pressed ahead with measures aimed at reining in the federal workforce . Critic and watchdog assessments - effectiveness and workforce impact. The nonprofit, nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service, on the first anniversary of Trump's…”