Is Donald Trump improving the US government?

This is a question I should approach carefully, as it involves a subjective political judgment that reasonable people disagree on based on their values and priorities, rather than a simple factual matter I can resolve with a search.

What I can do is share some relevant, more factual context about his administration's actions and their effects, while leaving the overall "improving or not" judgment to you.This is a question where reasonable people disagree sharply depending on their political values and which outcomes they prioritize, so I can't give you a definitive yes/no. But here's a balanced picture of what's actually happening, based on recent data:

The administration's own claims of improvement:
The White House credits its Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative with major gains, claiming government efficiency efforts have saved an estimated $215 billion, equivalent to $1,335 per U.S. taxpayer. It also says it has shrunk the federal bureaucracy by 10% in 2025, providing a reduction in force following massive federal workforce expansion under Biden, and cut 129 regulations for every 1 new rule it's issued. The Treasury Department similarly touts having cut $2 billion from IRS IT budget without operational disruptions.

Independent/critical assessments tell a more mixed story:

•A nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service report argues while the administration has claimed to be the most transparent ever, many of their actions have resulted in less efficiency and transparency, and less accountability to the people it serves.

•On the touted savings specifically, the same report notes overall government spending increased in 2025 and the amount cut is unknown, even by Congress, with some experts suggesting DOGE cuts were likely less than $2 billion, less than 1% of the original prediction.

•The watchdog function itself has been weakened: the president fired 17 presidentially-appointed inspectors general, leaving more than 75% of such positions vacant—officials who investigate and prevent fraud, and who in 2024 saved the government over $70 billion.

•DOGE itself ceased operation on July 4, 2026, as scheduled, having had a relatively short lifespan as an initiative.

•Economists at EPI contend the broader agenda carries costs: between January and December 2025, federal payroll employment fell by roughly 290,000 due to the DOGE cuts, which will sharply hurt growth in potential output in coming years and lead to a less equal economy.

Public opinion on performance has moved against the administration. Multiple recent polls show declining approval, with disapproval outpacing approval—one recent poll found President Trump's approval rating hit a record low of 37% ahead of the upcoming midterms, and another found Trump's approval rating has remained at 33 percent amid the unpopularity of the Iran war and rising prices, with 71 percent of respondents saying they do not approve of Trump's handling of the cost of living. That said, approval varies a lot by state and demographic—for instance, Wyoming's approval rating was 59% while deep-blue states are far lower.

Bottom line: Whether these changes count as "improving" government depends heavily on how you weigh efficiency/cost-cutting claims (contested in their actual magnitude) against concerns about reduced oversight, workforce cuts' economic effects, and public approval trends. I'd encourage you to look at the specific policy areas you care most about (immigration, economy, deregulation, etc.) for a more tailored answer.

Citations (14)

1whitehouse.govGovernment
Reform Government (DOGE)
Source excerpt: “## 01 ## promises made, promises kept Government efficiency efforts have saved an estimated $215 billion, equivalent to $1,335 per U.S. taxpayer. ”
2whitehouse.govGovernment
Reform Government (DOGE)
Source excerpt: “## 06 President Trump shrunk the federal bureaucracy by 10% in 2025, providing a much-need reduction in force following massive federal workforce ex...”
3whitehouse.govGovernment
Reform Government (DOGE)
Source excerpt: “## 09 The Trump Administration has cut 129 regulations for every 1 new rule it’s issued.”
4treasury.govGovernment
Year in Review 2025
Source excerpt: “## Detailed Accomplishments ### Making Treasury Efficient Again IRS modernization, cost savings, and deregulation #### Cost Savings - Cut $2 billion...”
5ourpublicservice.orgNonprofits and think tanks
A Government in Chaos: Trump's first year back in office - Partnership for Public Service
Source excerpt: “And while the administration has claimed to be the most transparent ever, many of their actions have resulted in less efficiency and transparency, and...”
6ourpublicservice.orgNonprofits and think tanks
A Government in Chaos: Trump's first year back in office - Partnership for Public Service
Source excerpt: “In fact, overall government spending increased in 2025 and the amount cut is unknown, even by Congress. Some experts suggest the DOGE cuts—despite th...”
7ourpublicservice.orgNonprofits and think tanks
A Government in Chaos: Trump's first year back in office - Partnership for Public Service
Source excerpt: “## Using executive power in new (and potentially illegal) ways ### The removal of government watchdogs The president also fired 17 presidentially-appo...”
8ourpublicservice.orgNonprofits and think tanks
A Government in Chaos: Trump's first year back in office - Partnership for Public Service
Source excerpt: “They play a crucial, independent role to investigate, prevent and eliminate fraud. In 2024, inspectors general saved the government over $70 billion.”
9wikipedia.orgEncyclopedias and referencequality 0.83
Department of Government Efficiency
Source excerpt: “It was first suggested to [Donald Trump](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump) by [Elon Musk](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elon_Musk) in 2024, ...”
10epi.orgNonprofits and think tanks
The Trump administration’s macroeconomic agenda harms affordability and raises inequality
Source excerpt: “## Trump policies will raise inequality—the worst blow to families’ affordability ### In the longer run, Trump policies empower the rich and disempowe...”
11thehill.comNews and mediaquality 0.90
Trump approval slips to historic low in Wall Street Journal survey
Source excerpt: “A Wall Street Journal poll shows President Trump's approval rating hit a record low of 37% ahead of the upcoming midterms. ”
12thehill.comNews and mediaquality 0.90
Donald Trump approval stuck at 33 percent amid Iran war, inflation woes: Survey
Source excerpt: “# Trump approval stuck at lowest level of political career: Survey The latest Reuters/Ipsos survey shows that Trump’s approval rating has remained at ...”
13thehill.comNews and mediaquality 0.90
Donald Trump approval stuck at 33 percent amid Iran war, inflation woes: Survey
Source excerpt: “The same poll found that 71 percent of respondents said they do not approve of Trump’s handling of the cost of living, which has become one of the top...”
14worldpopulationreview.comData and toolsquality 0.84
Trump Approval Rating by State 2026
Source excerpt: “Trump Approval Rating 2026 ↓: 59%. ”