Is Trump improving the U.S. government? I'll gather current data on reforms and performance to give you a balanced answer.
Whether Donald Trump is improving the U.S. government depends on the metric used and perspective - the administration and supporters point to specific reforms, while critics and oversight reports point to costs and disruptions.
Claims of improvement by the administration and supporters
The White House describes the period as "the most consequential stretch of governing in modern American history" and says President Trump "sealed the border, drove violent crime to historic lows, unleashed American energy, cut taxes for working families, focused Washington on merit and common sense, and deployed American strength on the global stage".
Specific claims include:
•Border and immigration: The administration says it "ended" catch-and-release and "has not released a single illegal alien into the country for 15 straight months", and that the U.S. recorded "negative net migration in 2025 for the first time in at least half a century", with more than three million migrants leaving the country.
•Government size and efficiency: The administration says its "unprecedented 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". Other reporting notes the federal workforce fell to "just 2.67 million people" as of August, "down from just over 3 million when President Donald Trump took office, marking the lowest headcount since 1966, per the BLS".
•Deregulation: The White House and allies point to "20 major deregulatory actions projected to save over $220 billion annually", and the White House also says its "government-wide deregulatory mandate is projected to save the U.S. economy $1.5 trillion in FY2026 alone".
•Other areas: Supporters cite the murder rate falling to a historic low in 2025, record domestic oil and gas production, and border security remaining a relatively strong polling issue with "50% approval".
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), launched by Elon Musk during the administration, initially aimed to eliminate "$2 trillion in perceived waste, fraud, and abuse" before the target was reduced to "$150 billion, and by the time of its dissolution, DOGE claimed to have saved $215 billion". The GSA said it has driven "more than $60 billion in federal contract savings since January 2025" as part of the push to shrink the federal footprint.
Criticism and counter-evidence
Oversight bodies and critics dispute the efficiency claims and point to governance disruptions:
•A Senate summary of a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report said GAO "reveals data quality concerns and a lack of clarity regarding how savings were calculated, making DOGE’s findings unreliable and unclear".
•GAO found a "435% increase in federal agencies’ use of administrative leave between 2023 and 2025, amounting to $9.5 billion in paid salaries to off-the-clock employees", with "$6.7 billion of the total to the deferred resignation program implemented under" DOGE. Another summary said DOGE was "wasting at least $21.7 billion at the time while the Trump Administration cut health care, nutrition assistance, and emergency services".
•Reporting on DHS found "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 for calculating savings".
•A report described as "A Government in Chaos" said "In 2025, the president and his appointees purged the government of more than 300,000 employees, began the politicization of the nonpartisan civil service, unilaterally dismantled agencies created by Congress, halted critical programs and services".
•During the 43-day shutdown in fall 2025, the Office of Special Counsel said it "received more than 1,000 complaints about partisan messages from the White House and 37 agencies during the record-breaking shutdown", with banners on agency websites blaming congressional Democrats.
Public opinion polling
Polling in 2026 shows low overall approval:
•A Quinnipiac poll of 1,032 registered voters Sept. 24-27 found "61% disapprove of how Trump is handling his job as president, compared to 34% who approve", described as an all-time high disapproval.
•A Reuters/Ipsos poll found approval "fell to 32% — the lowest of his political career", while border security remained his best issue at 50% approval.
One independent synthesis noted "substantial counter-evidence about governance quality and administrative norms" and said "The current 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 under this administration".
In short, supporters credit the administration with shrinking the federal workforce, reducing border crossings, and deregulation, while critics cite unverified savings claims, increased administrative leave costs, politicization concerns, and historically low approval ratings.