Is Donald Trump improving the US government?

Both sidesSays it is contested

Short answer: it depends on what you mean by “improve.”

Here are the main, measurable ways Trump has changed how the federal government itself runs since returning to office on January 20, 2025, and what the data say so far (as of October 5, 2026):

•Civil service rules and political control

•Trump reinstated and revised a prior order to reclassify some policy‑influencing civil service roles so they can be removed more easily (Executive Order 14171, Jan 20, 2025). Supporters say this increases accountability; critics say it risks politicizing the career workforce.[1]

•DoD’s personnel office notes a follow‑on order in June 2026 further implementing this approach.[2]

•Employee feedback and transparency

•OPM canceled the governmentwide 2025 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS), which for years had tracked morale, leadership, and workplace climate; Congress and workforce groups criticized the gap in data. OPM has since moved to redesign the survey framework. An outside nonprofit launched a stopgap “Public Service Viewpoint Survey.” If you value regular, comparable workforce metrics, this was a step backward in transparency.[3]

•Regulation and the “administrative state”

•Independent of the White House, the Supreme Court’s June 28, 2024 Loper Bright decision ended “Chevron deference,” meaning courts no longer defer to agencies’ readings of ambiguous statutes. That reduces agencies’ latitude and increases judicial scrutiny of regulation. The Trump administration has simultaneously pushed a renewed deregulatory agenda via executive actions. If you see smaller, more court‑checked agencies as improvement, you’ll view this positively; if you favor expert‑led rulemaking stability, you may see added legal uncertainty and slower implementation.[4]

•Appointments and management stability

•Early reliance on acting officials and notable senior‑staff turnover continued into the second term, which some research links to operational disruption; Brookings tracks these changes. Views differ on whether rapid personnel change brings needed course‑corrections or undermines continuity.[5]

•Public confidence and ethics perceptions

•Broad trust in the federal government remained near historic lows through 2025, and by spring 2026 a majority told Pew they believed the “level of ethics in government” had declined under Trump. Trust in the judicial branch (headed by the Supreme Court) has also been historically low in Gallup’s trend. If higher public trust is your yardstick, the picture so far isn’t improving.[6]

Bottom line

•If “improve” means tighter presidential control over agencies, faster removal of certain civil servants, and an aggressive check on regulation, you may see improvement.

•If “improve” means stable institutions, consistent measurement of workforce health, and higher public trust, the indicators to date point the other way.

If you tell me which dimensions you care about—workforce professionalism, service delivery times, regulatory burden, fiscal management, or public trust—I can give a more targeted assessment with up‑to‑date metrics.

Citations (6)

1federalregister.govGovernment
EXECUTIVE ORDER
Backs: “Supporters say this increases accountability; critics say it risks politicizing the career workforce.”
evidence, official document, neutral. Claim: Trump reinstated and revised an order reclassifying policy-influencing civil service roles for easier removal; supporters cite accountability, critics cite politicization.
2osd.milGovernment
Executive Orders And Presidential Memorandums | DCPAS
Backs: “DoD’s personnel office notes a follow‑on order in June 2026 further implementing this approach.”
evidence, other, neutral. Claim: DoD personnel office notes a June 2026 follow-on order further implementing the civil service reclassification approach.
3federalnewsnetwork.comNews and mediaquality 0.93
After months of postponing, OPM opts to fully cancel 2025 FEVS | Federal News Network
Backs: “An outside nonprofit launched a stopgap “Public Service Viewpoint Survey.” If you value regular, comparable workforce metrics, this was a step backward in transparency.”
evidence, article, points to no. Claim: OPM canceled the 2025 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, creating a data gap and a step backward in transparency.
4supremecourt.govGovernment
22-451 Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo (06/28/2024)
Backs: “If you see smaller, more court‑checked agencies as improvement, you’ll view this positively; if you favor expert‑led rulemaking stability, you may see added legal uncertainty and slower implementation.”
background, official document, neutral. Claim: Loper Bright ended Chevron deference, reducing agency latitude and increasing judicial scrutiny of regulation, independent of the White House.
5brookings.eduNonprofits and think tanks
Tracking turnover in the second Trump administration | Brookings
Backs: “Views differ on whether rapid personnel change brings needed course‑corrections or undermines continuity.”
evidence, article, points to no. Claim: Reliance on acting officials and senior-staff turnover continued into the second term, linked by some research to operational disruption.
6pewresearch.orgNonprofits and think tanks
Public Trust in Government: 1958-2025 | Pew Research Center
Backs: “If higher public trust is your yardstick, the picture so far isn’t improving.”
statistic, data page, points to no. Claim: Public trust in the federal government remained near historic lows through 2025, and majorities saw declining ethics in government.