Short answer: It depends on what you mean by “improving.”
A quick snapshot as of November 6, 2026
•How the administration changed the system: President Trump has relied unusually heavily on executive action, stood up a temporary “Department of Government Efficiency,” reinstated and expanded the prior “Schedule F” concept (now “Schedule Policy/Career”) to make it easier to reclassify and remove policy‑influencing civil servants, and imposed a government‑wide hiring freeze starting January 20, 2025. Supporters say this speeds decisions and increases accountability. Critics say it politicizes the civil service and reduces capacity.[1]
•What’s happened to federal capacity: GAO reports an 11%+ net drop in staff at major agencies during 2025, with some agencies down more than 30%, and finds resulting service/mission risks at places like FEMA and HUD (e.g., delays, operational strain, and planning gaps).[2]
•Fiscal picture: The federal deficit rose to about $2.0 trillion in FY2026, up from FY2025, according to the nonpartisan CBO.[3]
•Economy in the background: Unemployment was 4.2% in September 2026 (October data due today) and jobless claims remain low, but inflation ran about 3.7% year‑over‑year in September. These mixed signals color judgments about management performance.[4]
•Trade/industrial policy: The White House raised and broadened tariffs (including lifting certain metal tariffs to 50% and instituting a general surcharge earlier in 2025), pitching this as leverage for re‑shoring and “reciprocity.” Businesses and consumers have faced higher costs and uncertainty as rules shift.[5]
Bottom line
•If “improve” means faster, more centralized decision‑making, a smaller federal workforce, and a more activist industrial/trade posture, you may see improvement. These were implemented quickly via executive action.[1]
•If “improve” means stronger nonpartisan capacity and service delivery, steadier rulemaking, and smaller deficits, evidence points the other way: sizable workforce cuts and GAO‑flagged service risks, plus a larger FY2026 deficit, complicate the case.[2]
If you tell me which aspects of “government improvement” you care about—service delivery (e.g., FEMA/IRS/USCIS), budgets, regulation, civil‑service norms, or foreign/economic policy—I can drill down with the most relevant data.
Backs: “GAO reports an 11%+ net drop in staff at major agencies during 2025, with some agencies down more than 30%, and finds resulting service/mission risks at places like FEMA and HUD (e.g., delays, operational strain, and planning gaps).”
Backs: “The White House raised and broadened tariffs (including lifting certain metal tariffs to 50% and instituting a general surcharge earlier in 2025), pitching this as leverage for re‑shoring and “reciprocity.” Businesses and consumers have faced higher costs and uncertainty as rules shift.”