Is Donald Trump improving the US government?

Short answer: It depends on what you mean by “improving.” On some governance metrics the Trump administration has moved to centralize control and speed decision‑making; on others—like fiscal sustainability and public trust—there’s little sign of improvement as of September 29, 2026.

A few datapoints to help you judge:

•Who’s in charge: Donald J. Trump has been the 47th U.S. president since January 20, 2025.[1]

•Civil service changes (supporters say “accountability,” critics say “politicization”): Trump created a new excepted‑service category (Schedule Policy/Career) by executive order on January 20, 2025, making it easier to remove certain policy‑influencing career employees; OPM finalized implementing rules in February 2026. Several groups have sued to block parts of this program, so its long‑term impact is still uncertain.[2]

•Regulatory process (more White House oversight): A February 2025 order expanded OIRA review to include “independent” regulatory agencies (with an explicit carve‑out for the Fed’s monetary policy). Proponents argue this yields more coherent policy; opponents say it undermines agency independence.[3]

•Government operations and the economy: A partial federal shutdown from October 1 to November 12, 2025, disrupted services; BEA estimates the reduction in federal labor services subtracted about 1.0 percentage point from Q4 2025 real GDP growth. By August 2026, CPI inflation ran at 3.4% year‑over‑year, and unemployment was 4.1%. These are mixed signals rather than clear evidence of across‑the‑board improvement in government performance.[4]

•Fiscal picture: CBO projects a roughly $1.9 trillion federal deficit in FY2026 and a worsening long‑term debt trajectory—hard to frame as an “improvement” in fiscal stewardship.[5]

•Public trust: Pew’s most recent broad reads show trust in the federal government remains historically low (little change from recent years), which cuts against the idea that people feel government is working better.[6]

If you tell me which aspect you care about—efficiency, spending and deficits, service quality, rule‑making, civil‑service neutrality, or broader outcomes like inflation and jobs—I can give a more targeted, evidence‑based assessment.

Citations (6)

1usa.govGovernment
Presidents, vice presidents, and first ladies | USAGov
Backs: “Trump has been the 47th U.S. president since January 20, 2025.”
2thefederalregister.orgLow provenance
Restoring Accountability to Policy-Influencing Positions Within the Federal Workforce | 90 FR 8625
Backs: “Several groups have sued to block parts of this program, so its long‑term impact is still uncertain.”
3federalregister.govGovernment
https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2025-03063.pdf
Backs: “Proponents argue this yields more coherent policy; opponents say it undermines agency independence.”
4bea.govGovernment
GDP (Second Estimate), 4th Quarter and Year 2025 | U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA)
Backs: “These are mixed signals rather than clear evidence of across‑the‑board improvement in government performance.”
5cbo.govGovernment
The Budget and Economic Outlook: 2026 to 2036 | Congressional Budget Office
Backs: “CBO projects a roughly $1.9 trillion federal deficit in FY2026 and a worsening long‑term debt trajectory—hard to frame as an “improvement” in fiscal stewardship.”
6pewresearch.orgNonprofits and think tanks
Public Trust in Government: 1958-2025 | Pew Research Center
Backs: “Pew’s most recent broad reads show trust in the federal government remains historically low (little change from recent years), which cuts against the idea that people feel government is working better.”