Is Donald Trump improving the US government?

This is a subjective political question that people evaluate very differently based on their values and priorities, so I can't give a definitive yes/no answer. What I can do is share some factual context about his administration's actions and how they're being received, and you can weigh that against your own criteria for "improvement."There's no single objective answer to whether Trump is "improving" the government — it depends heavily on which values and metrics you use to judge "improvement." Here's what the evidence shows on both sides:

Public opinion is largely negative right now. As of September 2026, most polling averages show Trump's approval rating has steadily declined to an average of 37 to 39% throughout 2025-2026, down from an already-low starting point. His approval rating at the start of his second term was 47%, the second lowest at the start of a presidential term in polling history. Currently 59% disapprove and 35% approve of his job performance nationally.

What supporters point to as improvements:

•Bessent, Trump's Treasury Secretary, credits the administration with having "done trade deals, tax deals and deregulation"

•The administration touts a Gaza peace deal abroad and passage of his 'Big Beautiful Bill', along with overhauling the federal government while ending DEI programs and launching massive immigration enforcement

•The White House claims a major deregulatory push, with 20 major deregulatory actions projected to save over $220 billion annually

What critics point to as problems:

•A watchdog group focused on federal management describes 2025 as a period when the president and his appointees purged the government of more than 300,000 employees, began the politicization of the nonpartisan civil service, unilaterally dismantled agencies created by Congress, halted critical programs and services, and sought retribution against political opponents and perceived enemies

•That same group warns the administration will likely continue the steady erosion of norms, rules and the law in 2026 that are critical for an accountable, transparent and responsible government

•On the economic front, even sympathetic coverage notes Trump also promised to end inflation, but he has not, and other data point to tariff-driven inflation and Q1 GDP coming in at +2.0% but PCE inflation hitting 4.5% — a stagflation pattern last seen in the 1970s

•Internationally, one analysis notes that despite promises to end major wars, there were more state-based armed conflicts in 2024 than at any point in the past seven decades, and the year concluded with peace deals still out of reach in Ukraine and Sudan, and a three-phase ceasefire plan in Gaza effectively stalled

Bottom line: Whether these changes count as "improving" government depends on your priorities — e.g., if you value deregulation, tax cuts, and stricter immigration enforcement, you'd likely see progress; if you value civil-service stability, institutional norms, low inflation, and international peace agreements, the record looks much more negative. The polling data suggests a majority of Americans currently lean toward the more critical view, but that's a snapshot of public opinion, not a settled verdict.

Citations (12)

1wikipedia.orgEncyclopedias and referencequality 0.83
Opinion polling on the second Trump presidency
Source excerpt: “Throughout 2025 to 2026, Trump's approval rating has steadily declined to an average of 37 to 39%. ”
2wikipedia.orgEncyclopedias and referencequality 0.83
Opinion polling on the second Trump presidency
Source excerpt: “At the time when Donald Trump began his second term, his approval rating was 47%, [[3]](./Opinion_polling_on_the_second_Trump_presidency#cite_note-3) ...”
3yahoo.comNews and mediaquality 0.69
President Trump's approval rating by state entering September 2026
Source excerpt: “Overall, 59% disapprove, and 35% approve, not the kind of numbers that can make the Republican Party comfortable in a year of midterm elections. ”
4yahoo.comNews and mediaquality 0.69
Trump touts accomplishments in first year, Illinois critics point to failures
Source excerpt: ““We’ve done trade deals, tax deals and deregulation,” Bessent said. ”
5yahoo.comNews and mediaquality 0.69
Trump touts accomplishments in first year, Illinois critics point to failures
Source excerpt: “Union leaders protest Trump administration’s freeze on child care funds The president moved quickly, scoring a Gaza peace deal abroad and winning appr...”
6yahoo.comNews and mediaquality 0.69
Trump touts accomplishments in first year, Illinois critics point to failures
Source excerpt: “With help from Elon Musk, Trump overhauled the federal government, while ending diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and launching massive ...”
7factually.coLow provenance
Trump accomplishments 24-26
Source excerpt: “The White House and allied congressional offices point to a massive deregulatory push and a high volume of directives—claiming 20 major deregulatory a...”
8ourpublicservice.orgNonprofits and think tanks
A Government in Chaos: Trump's first year back in office - Partnership for Public Service
Source excerpt: “In 2025, the president and his appointees purged the government of more than 300,000 employees, began the politicization of the nonpartisan civil serv...”
9ourpublicservice.orgNonprofits and think tanks
A Government in Chaos: Trump's first year back in office - Partnership for Public Service
Source excerpt: “With a diminished capacity to effectively serve the public as well as the use of often unchecked presidential authority, the administration will likel...”
10yahoo.comNews and mediaquality 0.69
Trump touts accomplishments in first year, Illinois critics point to failures
Source excerpt: “President Trump also promised to end inflation, but he has not. ”
11uspollingdata.comData and tools
Trump Approval Rating 2026 — Monthly Tracker & Historical Comparison
Source excerpt: “May 2026 marks the sharpest single-month decline and the lowest approval of either Trump term, driven by tariff-driven inflation and Q1 GDP coming in ...”
12globalaffairs.orgNonprofits and think tanks
Trump 2.0 Enters 2026 in Full Force | Chicago Council on Global Affairs
Source excerpt: “According to the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), there were more state-based armed conflicts in 2024 than at any point in the past seven decades...”