Is Donald Trump improving the US government?

The question of whether Donald Trump is improving the US government is a subject of intense debate, with highly polarized viewpoints. Since his second term began in January 2025, his administration has pursued some of the most rapid and dramatic changes to the federal bureaucracy in modern American history.

Proponents argue that his actions are correcting a bloated, unaccountable "deep state," while critics contend that his policies are dismantling essential public services and eroding the rule of law.

Arguments that Donald Trump is Improving the US Government

Supporters argue that Trump’s business-minded approach and willingness to challenge established norms are delivering a more efficient, accountable, and responsive federal government.

•Reducing Bureaucracy and Streamlining Staffing: Supporters point to the rapid downsizing of the federal bureaucracy as a major success. Through hiring freezes, retirements, and the "Deferred Resignation Program," the federal civil service shrunk by over 270,000 employees (roughly 12%). Proponents view this as the dismantling of a bloated federal apparatus that has grown too large and expensive.

•Increasing Democratic Accountability: A key pillar of Trump’s administration is reining in the "administrative state". By implementing "Schedule Policy/Career" (a policy similar to "Schedule F"), the administration reclassified thousands of senior, policy-influencing civil service positions. Supporters argue this is a necessary reform. They believe that because unelected career bureaucrats often actively shape policy, the president—who is elected by the voters—must have the authority to easily remove those who fail to implement the administration's agenda.

•Focusing on Cost-Efficiency: Through the temporary Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which was launched in January 2025 and sunsetted in July 2026, the administration actively targeted federal waste. While it fell short of its initial $2 trillion target, the administration claimed that DOGE identified and implemented $215 billion in savings. Proponents argue these reductions—along with recurring savings from a smaller workforce—are a crucial step toward fiscal responsibility.

•Promoting Deregulation and Local Control: Supporters applaud Trump's extensive use of executive orders to bypass congressional gridlock, cut federal regulations, and return decision-making power to the states. For example, directives scaling back federal guidelines on childhood vaccines or simplifying veteran benefit access are seen as pragmatic moves that reduce federal overreach.

Arguments that Donald Trump is Not Improving the US Government

Critics, including many policy experts, Democrats, and career civil servants, argue that Trump’s policies are actively damaging the government’s capacity to function, weakening democratic guardrails, and creating fiscal instability.

•Hollowing Out Crucial Agencies: Critics argue that the rapid 12% reduction in the federal workforce was achieved through "ham-handed" and disruptive tactics rather than strategic downsizing. Some agencies have been depleted to near-empty levels: staffing fell by 95% at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), 46% at the Department of Education, and over 30% at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Detractors argue this "hollowing out" leaves the government unable to effectively administer vital programs, manage public lands, or respond to national emergencies.

•Undermining Professionalism and the Merit System: Critics strongly condemn "Schedule Policy/Career," viewing it as an attempt to replace professional, non-partisan experts with political loyalists. They argue this erodes the merit-based civil service system established in 1883 to prevent political patronage (the "spoils system"). Opponents warn that prioritizing personal loyalty over professional expertise leads to incompetent governance and corrupt decision-making.

•Incurring High Transition Costs and Rising Deficits: Critics point out that the administration's cost-cutting measures have often produced counterproductive results. A September 2026 report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) revealed that the federal government spent $9.5 billion in 2025 paying employees not to work, largely because of paid administrative leave under the Deferred Resignation Program. Furthermore, despite DOGE's claims of cutting waste, overall federal spending remains high, and policies like the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" (which permanently extended tax cuts) are projected to increase the national deficit by approximately $3 trillion by 2034.

•Disrupting Public Services and Harming Communities: Opponents argue that arbitrary budget cuts have harmed ordinary citizens. For example, research indicates that DOGE's sudden cancellation of nearly 1,600 federal grants and contracts disproportionately impacted Native American Tribal nations—causing them to lose nearly $470 million in promised funding for environmental, agricultural, and economic programs—which critics call a violation of federal treaty obligations.

•Rule by Executive Decree and Legal Chaos: Trump’s reliance on record-breaking numbers of executive orders (nearly 290 by late 2026) has been characterized by critics as an authoritarian overreach that bypasses the legislative branch. This "shock and awe" approach has resulted in extensive and costly litigation, creating administrative instability as federal agencies swing between conflicting court rulings.

Conclusion

Ultimately, whether Donald Trump is "improving" the US government depends on one's core philosophy of governance:

•If one believes the federal government is inherently bloated, inefficient, and controlled by unelected bureaucrats, then Trump’s actions to shrink the workforce, dismantle federal programs, and assert direct executive control are seen as a necessary correction.

•If one believes that a modern, prosperous nation requires a stable, highly skilled, and non-partisan civil service to deliver public goods, protect vulnerable communities, and uphold the rule of law, then Trump's reforms are seen as a damaging disruption that undermines the fundamental capabilities of the state.

Citations (11)

1wikipedia.orgEncyclopedias and referencequality 0.83
wikipedia.org
Backs: “Since his second term began in January 2025, his administration has pursued some of the most rapid and dramatic changes to the federal bureaucracy in modern American history.”
2britannica.comEncyclopedias and referencequality 0.83
britannica.com
Backs: “Proponents argue that his actions are correcting a bloated, unaccountable "deep state," while critics contend that his policies are dismantling essential public services and eroding the rule of law.”
3forbes.comNews and mediaquality 0.83
forbes.com
Backs: “Proponents argue that his actions are correcting a bloated, unaccountable "deep state," while critics contend that his policies are dismantling essential public services and eroding the rule of law.”
4archives.govGovernment
archives.gov
Backs: “Supporters argue that Trump’s business-minded approach and willingness to challenge established norms are delivering a more efficient, accountable, and responsive federal government.”
5city-journal.orgNews and mediaquality 0.64
city-journal.org
Backs: “Reducing Bureaucracy and Streamlining Staffing: Supporters point to the rapid downsizing of the federal bureaucracy as a major success. Through hiring freezes, retirements, and the "Deferred Resignation Program," the federal civil service shrunk by over 270,000 employees (roughly 12%).”
6time.comNews and mediaquality 0.83
time.com
Backs: “Through hiring freezes, retirements, and the "Deferred Resignation Program," the federal civil service shrunk by over 270,000 employees (roughly 12%). Proponents view this as the dismantling of a bloated federal apparatus that has grown too large and expensive.”
7ballotpedia.orgEncyclopedias and referencequality 0.89
ballotpedia.org
Backs: “Increasing Democratic Accountability: A key pillar of Trump’s administration is reining in the "administrative state". By implementing "Schedule Policy/Career" (a policy similar to "Schedule F"), the administration reclassified thousands of senior, policy-influencing civil service positions.”
8hklaw.comCompanies
hklaw.com
Backs: “By implementing "Schedule Policy/Career" (a policy similar to "Schedule F"), the administration reclassified thousands of senior, policy-influencing civil service positions. Supporters argue this is a necessary reform.”
9narfe.orgNonprofits and think tanks
narfe.org
Backs: “Focusing on Cost-Efficiency: Through the temporary Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which was launched in January 2025 and sunsetted in July 2026, the administration actively targeted federal waste.”
10kosu.orgNot yet classified
kosu.org
Backs: “Critics, including many policy experts, Democrats, and career civil servants, argue that Trump’s policies are actively damaging the government’s capacity to function, weakening democratic guardrails, and creating fiscal instability. Hollowing Out Crucial Agencies: Critics argue that the rapid 12% reduction in the…”
11brookings.eduNonprofits and think tanks
brookings.edu
Backs: “Disrupting Public Services and Harming Communities: Opponents argue that arbitrary budget cuts have harmed ordinary citizens. For example, research”