Is Donald Trump improving the US government?

Short answer: It depends on what you mean by “improving.” As of October 18, 2026, Donald Trump is the 47th U.S. president (sworn in January 20, 2025). Here’s how his second term is affecting the government across a few common yardsticks, with mixed results.

•Immigration enforcement and border management

•The administration rapidly expanded enforcement, revived remain‑in‑Mexico–style policies, and tightened asylum and parole. CBP’s own dashboards show a sharp decline in Southwest border encounters in 2025–2026 versus the prior year, and DOJ/E.O.I.R. data indicate a surge in removal orders, including many issued in absentia. Supporters call this restoring the rule of law; critics point to due‑process and humanitarian concerns.[1]

•Size, structure, and professionalism of the civil service

•The White House and OPM reintroduced a Schedule F‑like category (“Schedule Policy/Career”) that narrows traditional job protections for policy‑influencing roles. Federal headcount fell markedly in 2025, with OPM and Pew reporting roughly a 10% workforce reduction that was concentrated in some agencies. Advocates say this improves accountability; others warn it politicizes career posts and degrades capacity.[2]

•Regulation and “government red tape”

•The administration set aggressive deregulatory targets and reports very high ratios of deregulatory to regulatory actions. Independent trackers find a large rulemaking agenda with an increased share of rollbacks, though they note the overall pipeline remains sizable and that other policy moves (like tariffs/industrial policy) can offset some claimed cost savings.[3]

•Fiscal stewardship and macro performance

•CBO estimates show the federal deficit at about $1.8 trillion in FY2025 and a projected ~$1.9 trillion in FY2026—elevated by historical standards—while GDP growth has been moderate. Tariff changes are boosting customs receipts in CBO’s outlook but don’t by themselves reduce the overall deficit trend.[4]

•Oversight, transparency, and norms

•Trump removed numerous inspectors general early in 2025 and has faced criticism for eroding watchdog independence. News and congressional testimony document unusual pressure on oversight bodies, which supporters dismiss as necessary house‑cleaning. FOIA reporting shows mixed progress and backlogs at some agencies.[5]

•Service delivery (examples)

•IRS and State report some service improvements (e.g., returns processed, digital passport renewal) but also acknowledge staffing losses and backlogs that have strained parts of the customer experience.[6]

Bottom line: If you define “improving” as executing a hard‑line immigration and deregulatory agenda while shrinking and centralizing the federal bureaucracy, you may see improvement. If you prioritize institutional safeguards, independent oversight, workforce capacity, and long‑run fiscal sustainability, you may see the opposite. Would you like a deeper dive on any one of these areas (immigration, civil service, regulation, budgets, or service performance)?

Citations (6)

1cbp.govGovernment
Workbook: CBP Nationwide Encounters AUGFY26
Backs: “Supporters call this restoring the rule of law; critics point to due‑process and humanitarian concerns.”
2opm.govGovernment
OPM Finalizes Schedule Policy/Career Rule to Strengthen Accountability
Backs: “Advocates say this improves accountability; others warn it politicizes career posts and degrades capacity.”
3whitehouse.govGovernment
White House Office of Management and Budget’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs Releases End of Year Deregulatory Stats: Showing the Trump Administration Has Best Deregulation Year in History – The White House
Backs: “Independent trackers find a large rulemaking agenda with an increased share of rollbacks, though they note the overall pipeline remains sizable and that other policy moves (like tariffs/industrial policy) can offset some claimed cost savings.”
4cbo.govGovernment
Monthly Budget Review: Summary for Fiscal Year 2025 | Congressional Budget Office
Backs: “Tariff changes are boosting customs receipts in CBO’s outlook but don’t by themselves reduce the overall deficit trend.”
5washingtonpost.comNews and mediaquality 0.82
Under Trump, government inspectors general are losing independence - The Washington Post
Backs: “FOIA reporting shows mixed progress and backlogs at some agencies.”
6irs.govGovernment
National Taxpayer Advocate issues 2026 mid-year report to Congress | Internal Revenue Service
Backs: “IRS and State report some service improvements (e.g., returns processed, digital passport renewal) but also acknowledge staffing losses and backlogs that have strained parts of the customer experience.”