Is Donald Trump improving the US government?

Short answer: It depends on what “improving” means to you. On some dimensions (centralized control, deregulation, shrinking the civil service), the Trump administration has clearly moved the federal government in that direction since January 20, 2025. On others (nonpartisan capacity, independent oversight, transparency, and public trust), the main indicators have generally worsened.

What has changed since Jan 20, 2025

•Civil service structure and staffing

•A government‑wide hiring freeze took effect on January 20, 2025, with OPM/OMB implementation guidance a week later. Agencies were also ordered to return most employees to full‑time, in‑person work. Proponents argue these steps curb bloat and improve accountability; critics say they hollow out capacity.[1]

•Trump signed Executive Order 14171 on January 20, 2025, reviving a version of “Schedule F” for policy‑influencing roles, with further implementation in 2026. Supporters say this makes policy staff more accountable; opponents warn it politicizes the merit system.[2]

•Independent oversight has weakened: vacancies in Inspector General posts rose and several IG offices shrank, with fewer oversight reports produced. That can reduce checks on waste, fraud, and abuse.[3]

•Fiscal management

•The nonpartisan CBO projects the FY2026 federal deficit at about $1.9 trillion (roughly 5.8% of GDP). That does not signal improvement in the government’s fiscal position.[4]

•Regulation and executive control

•The White House rescinded the Biden‑era 2023 update to OMB Circular A‑4 (cost‑benefit guidance) and reinstated the 2003 version, while expanding and accelerating deregulatory review through OIRA. Fans see this as cutting “red tape”; critics see weaker analysis for rules that protect health, safety, and the environment.[5]

•Transparency and service backlogs

•FOIA processing has become more strained in several agencies, with DOJ reporting a larger FY2025 backlog and OPM warning of delays. That points to pressure on transparency and customer service.[6]

•Rule of law and public trust

•The World Justice Project’s Rule of Law Index shows the U.S. has not improved in overall rule‑of‑law performance in its most recent (2025) release.[7]

•Public confidence in U.S. institutions is near historic lows, and a record‑high 89% of Americans now say government corruption is widespread (2026 Gallup). That’s a challenging backdrop for claiming overall “improvement.”[8]

How to decide for yourself

•If you define “improvement” as a smaller bureaucracy, tighter presidential control over policy staff, faster deregulation, and more in‑person presence, you may see improvement.[1]

•If you prioritize durable nonpartisan capacity, independent watchdogs, fiscal sustainability, transparency, rule‑of‑law measures, and broad public confidence, current evidence points the other way.[9]

If you share which aspects of “improvement” matter most to you (service delivery, budgets, oversight, regulation, hiring, etc.), I can pull the most relevant agency‑by‑agency metrics.

Citations (9)

1whitehouse.govGovernment
Hiring Freeze – The White House
Backs: “Proponents argue these steps curb bloat and improve accountability; critics say they hollow out capacity.”
2federalregister.govGovernment
EXECUTIVE ORDER
Backs: “Supporters say this makes policy staff more accountable; opponents warn it politicizes the merit system.”
3oversight.govGovernment
Inspector General Vacancies | Oversight.gov
Backs: “Independent oversight has weakened: vacancies in Inspector General posts rose and several IG offices shrank, with fewer oversight reports produced. That can reduce checks on waste, fraud, and abuse.”
4cbo.govGovernment
The Budget and Economic Outlook: 2026 to 2036 | Congressional Budget Office
Backs: “That does not signal improvement in the government’s fiscal position.”
5govinfo.govGovernment
(b) The Director shall revoke OMB Circular No. A-4 of November 9, 2023 (Regulatory Analysis), and all accompanying appendices, guidelines, and documents, and shall reinstate the prior version of Circular A-4, issued on September 17, 2003; and
Backs: “Fans see this as cutting “red tape”; critics see weaker analysis for rules that protect health, safety, and the environment.”
6justice.govGovernment
2026 Chief FOIA Officer's Report
Backs: “That points to pressure on transparency and customer service.”
7worldjusticeproject.orgNot yet classified
WJP RULE OF LAW INDEX 2025 6
Backs: “The World Justice Project’s Rule of Law Index shows the U.S. has not improved in overall rule‑of‑law performance in its most recent (2025) release.”
8gallup.comCompanies
Confidence in U.S. Institutions Remains Near All-Time Low
Backs: “That’s a challenging backdrop for claiming overall “improvement.””
9govexec.comNews and mediaquality 0.87
Inspectors general are conducting fewer oversight reports after 18 months of upheaval - Government Executive
Backs: “If you prioritize durable nonpartisan capacity, independent watchdogs, fiscal sustainability, transparency, rule‑of‑law measures, and broad public confidence, current evidence points the other way.”