Is Donald Trump improving the US government?
White House pages claim $215 billion in savings and a leaner, more accountable government, while Partnership for Public Service says spending rose and cuts were unknown or small.
This is a subjective and highly debated question that depends heavily on political perspective, so I can't give a definitive yes/no answer. What I can do is outline some of the major actions his administration has taken and the differing assessments of their impact, based on recent reporting.# It Depends on Who You Ask — Here's the Evidence on Both Sides
This is a deeply contested political question, and the answer differs sharply depending on your criteria (efficiency vs. staffing stability, deregulation vs. oversight, etc.) and political perspective. Here's what the record shows:
The Case That Things Have Improved (Administration's View)
The White House touts significant restructuring: President Trump has driven sweeping reforms to eliminate waste, reduce bureaucracy, and restore accountability across the federal government, with agencies streamlined, unnecessary regulations rolled back, and taxpayer dollars redirected toward core national priorities in 2025. Specific claims include:
The Case That Things Have Gotten Worse (Critics' View)
Independent and nonpartisan analyses tell a more complicated story:
On the claimed savings: Overall government spending actually increased in 2025, and the amount cut is unknown even to Congress—some experts suggest DOGE cuts were likely less than $2 billion, far below original predictions.
On oversight: While agencies sometimes fail to stop fraud, the administration has accused shuttered programs of being "rife with fraud" while struggling to provide evidence, and Trump has fired many inspectors general charged with rooting out fraud, waste and abuse. Notably, inspectors general saved the government over $70 billion in 2024 before many were removed.
On workforce disruption: The administration reduced the federal workforce by tens of thousands of employees in sudden and haphazard ways, with more than 320,000 federal employees departing throughout the year.
On regulatory substance: One analysis notes Trump's regulatory streamlining has not actually translated into governing less—regulation doesn't disappear, it may instead transform into ways that don't appear in the Federal Register.
On expertise: A Bloomberg Law study found the administration eliminated 160 expert advisory committees across the government.
What the Public Thinks
Polling suggests most Americans are unconvinced things are improving:
Bottom Line
The administration points to deregulation metrics, workforce reduction, and faster permitting as evidence of a "leaner" government. Critics and nonpartisan trackers counter that actual spending cuts have been modest, oversight mechanisms (like inspectors general) have been weakened, and the disruption to federal operations has been significant. Public opinion polling currently leans toward dissatisfaction, though this shifts with news cycles (e.g., the government shutdown, tariffs, economic conditions).
Whether these changes constitute "improvement" ultimately depends on which values you prioritize—smaller government and deregulation, versus institutional stability, oversight, and continuity of services.
Citations (15)
- Reform Government (DOGE)
Source excerpt: “President Trump has driven sweeping reforms to eliminate waste, reduce bureaucracy, and restore accountability across the federal government. In 2025,...”
attribution, official document, points to yes. Claim: The White House says Trump has driven sweeping reforms to eliminate waste, reduce bureaucracy and restore accountability across the federal government.
- 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. ”
statistic, official document, points to yes. Claim: Government efficiency efforts have saved an estimated $215 billion, or $1,335 per U.S. taxpayer.
- 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...”
statistic, official document, points to yes. Claim: The federal bureaucracy shrank by 10% in 2025, following what the administration calls a workforce expansion under Biden.
- Reform Government (DOGE)
Source excerpt: “## 09 The Trump Administration has cut 129 regulations for every 1 new rule it’s issued.”
statistic, official document, points to yes. Claim: The administration cut 129 regulations for every 1 new rule it has issued.
- Fact Sheet: President Trump Is Delivering Historic Permitting Wins Across the Federal Government
Source excerpt: “- Under President Trump’s leadership, the endless cycle of regulatory back-and-forth and excessive environmental reviews that produced little benefit ...”
attribution, official document, points to yes. Claim: The administration says the endless cycle of regulatory back-and-forth and excessive environmental reviews has come to a halt.
- 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...”
evidence, article, points to no. Claim: Overall government spending increased in 2025 and the amount cut is unknown even to Congress; some experts say DOGE cuts were under $2 billion.
- Push to 'reform the government root and branch' detailed in Trump’s new management agenda - Government Executive
Source excerpt: “While federal agencies do sometimes fail to stop fraudsters from abusing government programs, the administration has also accused some of the programs...”
evidence, article, points to no. Claim: The administration accused shuttered programs of being rife with fraud while struggling to provide evidence, and fired many inspectors general.
- A Government in Chaos: Trump's first year back in office - Partnership for Public Service
Source excerpt: “In 2024, inspectors general saved the government over $70 billion. ”
statistic, article, points to no. Claim: Inspectors general saved the government over $70 billion in 2024 before many were removed.
- A Government in Chaos: Trump's first year back in office - Partnership for Public Service
Source excerpt: “### Sweeping cuts to federal personnel Within weeks of taking office, the administration reduced the federal workforce by tens of thousands of employe...”
evidence, article, points to no. Claim: The administration cut the federal workforce by tens of thousands in sudden, haphazard ways, with over 320,000 employees departing.
- Chapter 1: Trump 2.0: Year one and the regulatory state’s uneven reset - Competitive Enterprise Institute
Source excerpt: “Trump’s regulatory streamlining has not actually translated into governing less. As during Trump’s first term, regulation does not necessarily disappe...”
evidence, article, points to no. Claim: Trump's regulatory streamlining has not translated into governing less; regulation may shift into forms not appearing in the Federal Register.
- A Government in Chaos: Trump's first year back in office - Partnership for Public Service
Source excerpt: “### The politicization of government functions that have previously been apolitical #### Politicizing expert recommendations A study by Bloomberg Law ...”
evidence, article, points to no. Claim: A Bloomberg Law study found the administration eliminated 160 expert advisory committees.
- A Government in Chaos: Trump's first year back in office - Partnership for Public Service
Source excerpt: “In October, a nationally representative survey conducted by the Partnership found that 61% of Americans said the government is headed in the “wrong di...”
statistic, article, points to no. Claim: An October 2025 survey found 61% said the government is headed in the wrong direction versus 25% right direction, and 59% expected negative workforce-change impacts.
- Trump saw lowest average approval rating of his second term in September - Ballotpedia News
Source excerpt: “At the end of September, the average direction of the country rating, which indicates public opinion as to whether the United States is moving in the ...”
statistic, article, points to no. Claim: By late September 2026, only 32% said the country was moving in the right direction versus 61% wrong direction.
- Trump's Approval Rating Drops to 36%, New Second-Term Low
Source excerpt: “# Trump's Approval Rating Drops to 36%, New Second-Term Low WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump’s job approval rating has fallen five percentage...”
statistic, article, points to no. Claim: Trump's approval fell to 36% in a Gallup poll, a second-term low, with disapproval at 60%.
- Trump's Approval Rating Drops to 36%, New Second-Term Low
Source excerpt: “## Trump Rated Best on Crime, Worst on Healthcare, Ukraine, Federal Budget His ratings on the other five issues match or trail his overall rating and ...”
statistic, article, points to no. Claim: Trump was rated worst on healthcare, Ukraine and the federal budget.