Is Donald Trump improving the US government?

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

Here are the biggest, checkable changes since Donald Trump took office again on January 20, 2025 (today is September 19, 2026):

What supporters point to as improvements

•Tighter border enforcement and lower encounters: DHS ended CBP One port‑of‑entry appointments and restarted “Remain in Mexico” (MPP) in January 2025. Reported encounters and apprehensions in FY2026 have been far below 2021–2024 levels (for example, Border Patrol nationwide apprehensions were roughly 8–12k a month through July 2026).[1]

•More presidential control over the bureaucracy: Trump signed orders creating/implementing new excepted‑service categories (often called “Schedule Policy/Career” and “Schedule G”) to move policy‑influencing civil‑service roles outside traditional protections; OPM has issued implementing rules. Backers say this makes agencies more accountable and faster to execute elected priorities.[2]

•Economy not in recession: As of August 2026, unemployment is 4.1%, inflation is 3.4% year‑over‑year, and real GDP grew at a 1.5% annualized rate in Q2 2026. Whether any White House “caused” these outcomes is debated, but they’re the latest readings.[3]

What critics argue is harming government

•Politicizing the civil service and weakening capacity: The new personnel schedules reduce merit‑system protections for policy roles; multiple lawsuits have produced mixed results and some limits or pauses on related workforce directives.[4]

•Aggressive orders facing court pushback: Courts have blocked or narrowed high‑profile moves (for example, attempts to limit mail‑in ballots ahead of the 2026 midterms and to narrow birthright citizenship), suggesting legal overreach and policy churn.[5]

•Fiscal picture has worsened: Through August 2026, the federal deficit is about $2.0 trillion for FY2026 to date, and total federal debt recently topped $40 trillion—hard to frame as “improving” government stewardship.[6]

Bottom line

•If “improve” means stricter border control and a more centralized, president‑driven executive branch, there’s clear movement in that direction. If it means safeguarding nonpartisan expertise, legal stability, and fiscal sustainability, the evidence points the other way.

If you tell me what you most care about—efficiency, services, civil liberties, economy, deficits, or something else—I can drill down with metrics specific to that.[7]

4.[Creating Schedule G in the Excepted Service, 34753-34755 [2025-13925] :: Executive Office Of The President :: Regulation Tracker :: Justia](https://regulations.justia.com/regulations/fedreg/2025/07/23/2025-13925.html?utm_source=openai)

Citations (7)

1aila.orgNonprofits and think tanks
CBP Announces Removal of Scheduling Functionality in CBP One App
Backs: “Reported encounters and apprehensions in FY2026 have been far below 2021–2024 levels (for example, Border Patrol nationwide apprehensions were roughly 8–12k a month through July 2026).”
2govinfo.govGovernment
DCPD-202500138 - Executive Order 14171—Restoring Accountability to Policy-Influencing Positions Within the Federal Workforce - DCPD-202500138 | Content Details | GovInfo
Backs: “Backers say this makes agencies more accountable and faster to execute elected priorities.”
3bls.govGovernment
Employment Situation News Release - 2026 M08 Results
Backs: “Whether any White House “caused” these outcomes is debated, but they’re the latest readings.”
4justia.comEncyclopedias and reference
Creating Schedule G in the Excepted Service, 34753-34755 [2025-13925] :: Executive Office Of The President :: Regulation Tracker :: Justia
Backs: “The new personnel schedules reduce merit‑system protections for policy roles; multiple lawsuits have produced mixed results and some limits or pauses on related workforce directives.”
5apnews.comNews and mediaquality 1.00
Supreme Court rejects Trump mail ballot restrictions ahead of midterms
Backs: “Courts have blocked or narrowed high‑profile moves (for example, attempts to limit mail‑in ballots ahead of the 2026 midterms and to narrow birthright citizenship), suggesting legal overreach and policy churn.”
6cbo.govGovernment
Monthly Budget Review: August 2026 | Congressional Budget Office
Backs: “Through August 2026, the federal deficit is about $2.0 trillion for FY2026 to date, and total federal debt recently topped $40 trillion—hard to frame as “improving” government stewardship.”
7usa.govGovernment
Presidents, vice presidents, and first ladies | USAGov
Backs: “If you tell me what you most care about—efficiency, services, civil liberties, economy, deficits, or something else—I can drill down with metrics specific to that.”