Is the US government improving under Trump? I'll gather current metrics and multiple perspectives to answer.
Whether Donald Trump is improving the U.S. government depends on the metric used, and assessments are sharply divided:
Arguments that the government is improving
The White House claims a historic turnaround:
> In less than two years, President Donald J. Trump has driven the most consequential stretch of governing in modern American history
Specific claims highlighted by the administration and supporters include:
•Border and public safety: The administration says it sealed the border, drove violent crime to historic lows, and unleashed American energy.
•Workforce reduction: The federal workforce was reduced to the lowest point in roughly 60 years, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data - as of August, just 2.67 million people were employed by the federal government, down from just over 3 million when President Donald Trump took office, marking the lowest headcount since 1966.
•Deregulation: The White House and allied offices point to a massive deregulatory push claiming 20 major deregulatory actions projected to save over $220 billion annually. A later White House summary projected government-wide deregulatory savings of $1.5 trillion in FY2026.
•Efficiency savings claimed: The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative initially aimed to eliminate $2 trillion in waste, later reduced to $150 billion, and by dissolution claimed to have saved $215 billion. The administration's September 2026 summary also cited an estimated $215 billion saved — about $1,335 per taxpayer. The General Services Administration (GSA) announced it has driven more than $60 billion in federal contract savings since January 2025.
•Fiscal record: President Trump slightly increased federal revenues and reduced spending compared to the Congressional Budget Office's (CBO) projections for FY 2025.
Trump himself gave his second-term performance an A+ "In government work, in economic terms, in all aspects, I give us an A+".
Arguments that the government is not improving
Polling and oversight reports point to negative indicators:
•Low approval and disapproval highs: A September 24-27 2026 Quinnipiac poll of 1,032 registered voters found 61% disapprove of how Trump is handling his job as president, compared to 34% who approve, matching an all-time high disapproval last reached in January 2021. Other September 2026 polling found 29% approve and 68% disapprove, and Reuters/Ipsos found approval fell to 32% — the lowest of his political career.
•Low public trust in government: Trust in government has been low for decades, but the current measure is one of the lowest in nearly seven decades since the question was first asked, and lower than 22% last year. A compilation shows 17 percent in September 2025. Only 27% reported trusting the federal government in 2026, compared to 44% trusting civil servants. Gallup reports 89 percent of Americans now believe corruption is widespread in government, the highest percentage recorded in twenty years.
•Partisan trust shift: While Democrats have been more trusting of civil servants, their level of trust declined significantly from 65% in 2025 to 49% in 2026, while Republican trust increased slightly from 34% in 2024 to 46%.
•Costs of workforce cuts: The Government Accountability Office found the Trump administration spent $9.5 billion on paid administrative leave for federal workers as part of its plan to shrink the government, a sixfold increase compared to 2023. Senator Patty Murray said these staffing cuts will lengthen service delays for seniors, veterans, and families for years.
•Unverified savings: Nearly half of the money DOGE claimed in canceled contracts — $27.4 billion — couldn't be verified, in large part because DOGE ignored its own methodology. Watchdogs note that despite claims of savings, the actual money spent by the federal government has increased since the administration took office.
•Opposition to management: Opposition “remains strong” to President Trump’s management of the government, including cuts in programs and the federal workforce, according to Partnership for Public Service polling. The analysis noted the White House has not succeeded in convincing the public that such changes will have a positive effect.
•Shutdown and politicization concerns: During the federal government shutdown that began on September 30, 2025, the FDA's homepage prominently displayed the message: "Missioncritical activities of FDA will continue during the Democratled government shutdown". The Office of Special Counsel said it is not pursuing disciplinary action over widespread messaging from agencies blaming the fall 2025 government shutdown on Democrats because officials misconstrued an earlier Hatch Act decision. Late-October and early-November polling consistently shows a plurality or majority blaming Republicans, particularly President Trump and GOP congressional leaders, for the shutdown, at roughly 52% vs 42% blaming Democrats.
Summary
Independent assessments note the record shows clear activity and selective successes, but it lacks independent, comprehensive assessments needed to conclude definitively that the country is overall "improved" since 2025. Supporters point to a smaller workforce, deregulatory savings, and claimed efficiency gains; critics point to historic low approval and trust, high costs for leave payments, unverified savings claims, and concerns about service disruptions and politicized administration of agencies.