Is Donald Trump improving the US government?
This is a genuinely contested political question where reasonable people disagree based on their values and priorities, so I can't give a simple yes/no answer. But I can share what's actually happening and let you weigh it.# It Depends on Your Perspective — Here's the Data
There's no single objective answer to whether Trump is "improving" the government—it depends on what you value (smaller government, immigration enforcement, deregulation, etc.) versus what you're worried about (institutional norms, healthcare costs, economic stability). Here's what the evidence shows on multiple fronts:
Public Approval Trends
Trump's approval has been declining since he took office. His approval rating started at 47% at the start of his second term and has steadily declined to an average of 37 to 39% throughout 2025-2026. As of September 2026, about 40 percent of American adults approved of the way Trump was handling his job as president, with his lowest approval rating recorded the previous week at 38 percent.
Notably, the decrease in Trump's approval ratings during his current administration has primarily come from Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, with 69% approving now versus 84% in February 2025.
What He's Changed
Scale of action: As of April 2026, Trump had signed 254 executive orders, 59 memoranda, and 136 proclamations in his second term. In his first year alone, he signed nearly 230 executive orders.
Major policy shifts: The shifts in US policy have been dramatic, spanning trade and industrial policy including a wave of new tariffs, a deregulatory push, a new approach to AI and energy policy, and a significant reshaping of the role of the federal government.
Immigration: In 2025, the United States experienced negative net migration for the first time in at least 50 years as a result of Trump's immigration crackdown, largely due to a significant drop in entries. DHS claims more than 622,000 people have been deported since Trump took office. However, this expansion has been controversial—ICE operations were significantly expanded nationwide despite controversial tactics, deadly force, legal pushback and protests.
Healthcare: Trump unveiled a long-promised healthcare plan in early 2026, but details remain sparse, with officials calling it "broad" and a "framework." Public reaction has been negative: a recent poll found 52% of voters saying Trump has "hurt" the cost of health care.
Institutional changes: Trump has removed many Democrats from government boards and commissions, leaving Republican appointees to advance his priorities—prompting lawsuits like Trump v. Slaughter, challenging his removal of an FTC commissioner.
Economic Concerns
Polling suggests economic performance is a weak point: on the economy his approval is only 37%, on trade only 36% approve, and on inflation—arguably the issue that propelled his 2024 win—only 31% approve while 57% disapprove. Some trackers point to accelerating tariff-driven inflation, with Q1 GDP at +2.0% but PCE inflation hitting 4.5%, raising stagflation concerns.
The Bottom Line
Trump is undeniably making significant, rapid changes to how the federal government operates—more executive orders, deregulation, immigration enforcement, and institutional restructuring than most administrations attempt. Whether that counts as "improvement" hinges entirely on your priorities:
The approval trend—especially the drop among independents and even some Republicans—suggests a meaningful chunk of the country isn't convinced the changes are net positive right now. I'd encourage you to look at specific policy areas you care about most, since "the government" isn't a monolith—some agencies/functions may be reshaped in ways you'd call improvement, others you might not.
Citations (14)
- 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) ...”
statistic, reference entry, points to no. Claim: Trump's approval started at 47% at the start of his second term and has declined since.
- Trump presidential approval rating U.S. 2026| Statista
Source excerpt: “... As of September 14, 2026, about 40 percent of American adults approved of the way Donald Trump was handling his job as president. Trump's low...”
statistic, data page, points to no. Claim: As of September 2026, about 40 percent of American adults approved of Trump's handling of his job.
- Trump’s job approval rating is low by historical standards | Pew Research Center
Source excerpt: “The decrease in Trump’s approval ratings during his current administration has primarily come from Republicans and Republican-leaning independents: To...”
statistic, article, points to no. Claim: Approval decline has come primarily from Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, with 69% approving now versus 84% in February 2025.
- Donald Trump's executive orders and actions, 2025-2026 - Ballotpedia
Source excerpt: “The Office of Management and Budget ... Tennessee Valley Authority (March 11, 2026) Withdrawing the United States from International Organizations, Co...”
statistic, data page, neutral. Claim: Trump signed 254 executive orders, 59 memoranda, and 136 proclamations in his second term as of April 2026.
- Trump at one year: key developments and what to watch | EY - US
Source excerpt: “Read more Read less · Many of the changes to date have been driven through executive actions; in the first year of his administration, Trump signed ne...”
statistic, article, neutral. Claim: In his first year Trump signed nearly 230 executive orders, driving many changes through executive action.
- Trump at one year: key developments and what to watch | EY - US
Source excerpt: “Read more Read less · President Donald Trump was inaugurated for his second term on January 20, 2025, and in only one year, the shifts in US policy ha...”
evidence, article, neutral. Claim: Policy shifts have been dramatic, spanning tariffs, deregulation, AI and energy policy, and reshaping the federal government.
- 1 year into Trump's 2nd term, here are some of the seismic shifts in foreign and domestic policies - ABC News
Source excerpt: “The administration unveiled his "great healthcare plan," but the details are sparse, with top administration officials calling it "broa...”
evidence, article, points to no. Claim: Trump's healthcare plan has sparse details, described by officials as broad and a framework.
- 1 year into Trump's 2nd term, here are some of the seismic shifts in foreign and domestic policies - ABC News
Source excerpt: “The Department of Homeland Security claims more than 622,000 people have been deported since the president took office. ”
statistic, article, points to yes. Claim: DHS claims more than 622,000 people have been deported since Trump took office.
- 1 year into Trump's 2nd term, here are some of the seismic shifts in foreign and domestic policies - ABC News
Source excerpt: “Throughout the year, the administration significantly expanded Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations nationwide, with the White House p...”
evidence, article, neutral. Claim: ICE operations were significantly expanded nationwide despite controversial tactics, legal pushback and protests.
- 1 year into Trump's 2nd term, here are some of the seismic shifts in foreign and domestic policies - ABC News
Source excerpt: “Trump unveiled a health care plan, which he had promised for nearly a decade in early 2026. The administration unveiled his "great healthcare pla...”
evidence, article, points to no. Claim: Trump unveiled a long-promised healthcare plan in early 2026 with few details.
- 1 year into Trump's 2nd term, here are some of the seismic shifts in foreign and domestic policies - ABC News
Source excerpt: “A recent poll found 52% of voters saying Trump has "hurt" the cost of health care. ”
statistic, article, points to no. Claim: A poll found 52% of voters say Trump has hurt the cost of health care.
- Trump at one year: key developments and what to watch | EY - US
Source excerpt: “Trump also has removed many Democrats from government boards and commissions, in several cases leaving Republican appointees alone to advance his prio...”
evidence, article, neutral. Claim: Trump removed many Democrats from government boards and commissions, leaving Republican appointees to advance his priorities.
- poll trumps approval rating is down
Source excerpt: “On the economy, traditionally a comparatively strong suit for Trump in the polls, his approval rating is only 37 percent, with 51 percent disapproving...”
statistic, article, points to no. Claim: Trump's economy approval is only 37%, with trade and inflation approval also low.
- Trump Approval Rating 2026 — Monthly Tracker & Historical Comparison
Source excerpt: “The May collapse reflects accelerating tariff-driven inflation and Q1 GDP coming in at +2.0% but PCE inflation hitting 4.5% — raising stagflation conc...”
statistic, data page, points to no. Claim: Tariff-driven inflation, Q1 GDP of +2.0% and PCE inflation of 4.5% raise stagflation concerns.