Is Donald Trump improving the US government?

Is the Trump administration improving the government? I'll gather recent data on its reform efforts and their measured impact.

Whether Donald Trump is improving the US government depends on the metrics used and political perspective. Views are sharply divided:

Arguments that the government is being improved

The Administration and supporters point to efficiency and deregulatory reforms as improvements:

•The White House states its "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".

•As of Jan. 1, 2026, the Department of Government Efficiency reports $215 billion in savings, or roughly $1,335 per taxpayer. The department was established in the early months of the second Trump administration and initially led by Elon Musk to eliminate waste, fraud, and inefficiency.

•The Administration's deregulatory mandate is projected to save the U.S. economy $1.5 trillion in FY2026 alone.

•President Trump revoked the Obama-era Endangerment Finding — described as the single-largest deregulatory action in American history, worth $1.3 trillion.

•The regulatory plan aims to eliminate 702 existing administrative rules.

Supporters also cite reduced workforce size, cuts to grants, leases and contracts, and broader state-level efficiency initiatives inspired by DOGE as making government leaner.

Arguments that the government is not being improved

Critics and polling data point to costs, effectiveness, and public perception:

•The Department of Government Efficiency fell short of a promised $2 trillion in savings, claiming to have saved $215 billion, with experts questioning these savings and some concluding that DOGE actually cost the government money.

•A Government Accountability Office report finds the Trump administration spent $9.5 billion paying federal workers not to work as part of efforts to shrink the federal workforce. That $9.5 billion figure represents a 435 percent increase in paid administrative leave over 2023 totals.

•The federal civilian workforce has fallen by about 12 percent since Trump returned to office, but the accountability office found that the government has not been able to identify the long-term savings resulting from the reductions. Another report put the reduction at approximately 355,000 employees.

•Despite claims that cuts saved money for taxpayers, the actual money spent by the federal government has increased since the administration took office.

Public opinion polling shows widespread skepticism:

•A Partnership for Public Service survey found 52% of the public oppose the administration's changes to the federal government compared with only 39% who are in support. Far more people say the changes have made their lives or communities worse (51%) than say they have made things better (28%).

•Fifty-two percent of Americans say the Trump administration has not been effective in making the federal government more efficient compared with 42% who say they have.

•Three-quarters of Americans agree the government is wasteful (75%), up from 61% last year.

•More than a third of the public believe they have witnessed an impact on the delivery of benefits and services such as Social Security, Medicare, veterans' healthcare and tax assistance (35%).

•Approval polls in September 2026 put Trump approval at 33% in one survey and 39% in another, with an average across major pollsters around 37.3%.

Summary

Supporters view shrinking the workforce, cutting regulations, and claiming hundreds of billions in savings as making government more efficient and less wasteful. Critics view the same actions as haphazard, costly in the short term, lacking proven long-term savings, and harming services — a view reflected in majority opposition in recent public surveys on government management.

Assessment of "improvement" therefore largely correlates with partisan affiliation and whether one prioritizes deregulation and spending cuts versus service delivery and institutional stability.

Citations (3)

1whitehouse.govGovernment
President Trump Delivers Historic Results for the American People in Under Two Years
Backs: “Arguments that the government is being improved. The Administration and supporters point to efficiency and deregulatory reforms as improvements: The White House states its "government efficiency reforms have already saved an estimated $215 billion — about $1,335 per taxpayer — and shrunk the federal workforce to its…”
2amac.usNot yet classified
DOGE Effect: $215 Billion in Government Savings
Backs: “The White House states its "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".”
3ourpublicservice.orgNonprofits and think tanks
Steady Opposition: Public disapproval of Trump administration funding and workforce cuts remains strong
Backs: “The federal civilian workforce has fallen by about 12 percent since Trump returned to office, but the accountability office found that the government has not been able to identify the long-term savings resulting from the reductions. Another report put the reduction at approximately 355,000 employees. Despite claims…”