Is Donald Trump improving the US government?

Is Trump improving the U.S. government? I'll gather up-to-date metrics and competing views to give you a balanced answer.

Whether Donald Trump is improving the U.S. government depends on how "improving" is measured. Different metrics and evaluators point in different directions:

What the Administration Points to as Improvements

The White House describes the period since January 2025 as "the most consequential stretch of governing in modern American history" and lists several government-focused accomplishments:

•Government efficiency and size: The administration says its "unprecedented government efficiency reforms have already saved an estimated $215 billion — about $1,335 per taxpayer — and shrunk the federal workforce to its lowest level since 1966".

•Deregulation: The administration's "government-wide deregulatory mandate is projected to save the U.S. economy $1.5 trillion in FY2026 alone". Its 2026 regulatory plan identified 702 existing rules slated for elimination, which the administration described as a record for a single semiannual plan and nearly double the number eliminated in Trump's first term.

Other claims listed on the White House site include ending "catch-and-release," reduced illegal immigration, historic drops in violent crime and murder rates in 2025, record domestic oil and gas production, and tax changes such as No Tax on Tips and Overtime.

Supporters argue these actions make government smaller, less expensive, and more focused on core functions like border security, energy production, and deregulation.

What Independent Reviews and Critics Point to

Non-partisan audits and other analyses have questioned the scale and verification of savings and noted costs:

•GAO findings on DOGE: Congress's Government Accountability Office concluded President Trump's efforts "failed to produce, let alone prove, the billions in savings it claimed" and found "there's little evidence to support the $110 billion in savings claimed by Elon Musk and Trump".

•The GAO reported: "DOGE did not use its stated methodology to calculate the majority of savings associated with the contracts reported as terminated. For grants, DOGE did not provide sufficient information to verify the method used to calculate 96 percent of DOGE-reported savings".

•It found "40% of DOGE's claimed savings were from leases previously terminated".

•Cost of workforce reductions: The administration "spent $9.5 billion on paid administrative leave for federal workers as part of its plan to shrink the government and save taxpayers money, according to a new estimate by a congressional watchdog". That was described as a "sixfold increase from 2023 due to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) buyout initiative", with "administrative leave expenses rose by 435% between 2023 and 2025".

•Economic performance: While the White House points to manufacturing expansion and investment, other analyses noted GDP growth in 2025 was 2.2%, a slowdown from the 2.8% growth seen in 2024.

•Democratic norms and governance: Critics argue the approach eroded checks on executive power. One comparative analysis summarized the tactic as "the erosion of democratic norms—that is, the informal, unwritten rules of democracy—rather than structural, legal change" to weaken horizontal checks on the executive.

•Shutdown and disruption: During the longest government shutdown in U.S. history in fall 2025, polling showed public dissatisfaction with management of government. An AP-NORC poll found "only three in ten adults approve of Trump's handling of the economy, health care, or the federal government" amid the shutdown.

Public Opinion

Polling in 2025-2026 has generally shown net disapproval:

•A September 2026 Reuters/Ipsos poll found Trump's approval rating had fallen to 32%, its lowest level of his political career.

•Another poll in the same period found 33% of Americans approve and 63% disapprove.

Approval was higher on specific issues like crime in some polls and lower on handling of inflation and cost of living.

Bottom Line

•If "improving" is defined as shrinking the federal workforce, cutting regulations, and reducing the number and scope of federal rules, the administration has taken historically large actions on those measures.

•If "improving" is defined as verifiable taxpayer savings, stable government functioning without shutdowns, or adherence to traditional administrative norms, independent audits and polling suggest mixed or negative assessments to date.

Because there is no single nonpartisan definition of "better government," assessments divergence reflects which outcomes a person prioritizes: efficiency and deregulation versus verified savings, service continuity, and institutional stability.

Citations (2)

1whitehouse.govGovernment
President Trump Delivers Historic Results for the American People in Under Two Years
Backs: “government depends on how "improving" is measured. Different metrics and evaluators point in different directions: What the Administration Points to as Improvements. The White House describes the period since January 2025 as "the most consequential stretch of governing in modern American history" and lists several…”
2wcia.comNot yet classified
GAO: Trump and Musk's DOGE lacked evidence for billions in savings
Backs: “What Independent Reviews and Critics Point to. Non-partisan audits and other analyses have questioned the scale and verification of savings and noted costs: GAO findings on DOGE: Congress's Government Accountability Office concluded President Trump's efforts "failed to produce, let alone prove, the billions in savings…”