Is Donald Trump improving the US government?

The question of whether President Donald Trump is improving the U.S. government is a subject of intense national debate. Since returning to office for his second term in January 2025, the Trump administration has launched sweeping initiatives aimed at restructuring, downsizing, and reforming the federal bureaucracy.

How these changes are viewed depends heavily on one's perspective regarding the role, size, and accountability of the federal government.

The Argument That Trump is Improving the Government

Supporters argue that President Trump’s policies are driving much-needed modernization, cutting taxpayer waste, and breaking up a bloated and unaccountable federal bureaucracy. Key arguments include:

•Cost Savings and Efficiency: Proponents highlight the work of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a temporary agency created on January 20, 2025, which operated until July 4, 2026. DOGE claimed to have saved approximately $215 billion through contract terminations, modernizing outdated information technology, and facilitating over 260,000 federal personnel separations (via layoffs, early retirements, and voluntary departures).

•Greater Executive Accountability: On June 3, 2026, Trump signed an executive order implementing "Schedule Policy/Career" in the excepted service. This order reclassified approximately 8,000 high-level career federal employees (primarily at the GS-15 level) who hold policy-influencing positions. Supporters and Office of Personnel Management (OPM) officials argue this makes it easier to dismiss senior bureaucrats who actively obstruct or fail to carry out the lawful policy directives of the democratically elected president.

•Cutting "Red Tape": The administration’s aggressive push for deregulation—such as streamlining housing construction permits and environmental reviews—is viewed by advocates as a vital step to unleash economic growth, lower costs, and make government agencies more responsive to the public.

•Modernization of Public Services: Supporters point to technological upgrades, such as OPM’s launch of "retire.opm.gov" to automate federal retirement records (which were historically processed on paper), as tangible proof of a more efficient government.

The Argument That Trump is Weakening the Government

Critics, including labor unions, civil service watchdogs, and progressive policymakers, argue that these changes are undermining democratic institutions, stripping the government of vital expertise, and politicizing public service. Key arguments include:

•Hollowing Out Professional Expertise: Skeptics argue that mass layoffs and forced retirements are severely damaging the government's ability to function. They contend that losing experienced, nonpartisan professionals in scientific, regulatory, and administrative roles leaves critical agencies understaffed and unable to effectively manage public health, environmental safety, or foreign aid.

•The Return of a "Spoils System": Critics view the "Schedule Policy/Career" executive order as a backhanded attempt to strip civil service protections and replace highly qualified, objective experts with political loyalists. They argue a professional, neutral civil service is essential to protect the public from corrupt or partisan decision-making.

•Lack of Transparency and Exaggerated Claims: Many challenge the administration's claims of massive savings. When DOGE dissolved in July 2026, the administration declined to publish an official closing report, leading external groups to question the accuracy of the $215 billion savings figure. Furthermore, the administration's efforts to shield DOGE's operations from Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests sparked intense legal battles (culminating in the U.S. DOGE Service v. CREW Supreme Court case), raising concerns about government secrecy.

•Damaging Essential Protections: Opponents argue that rapid deregulation and stripping resources from federal agencies harm the public. They assert that rolling back environmental protections, labor standards, and consumer safety regulations leaves Americans more vulnerable to corporate exploitation and environmental hazards.

Conclusion

To supporters, Donald Trump is successfully reforming a stagnant "deep state," saving taxpayer dollars, and ensuring that government workers are accountable to the electorate. To critics, his administration is dismantling the foundational expertise and nonpartisan nature of the American civil service, sacrificing transparency and long-term public safety for short-term political gains.

Citations (9)

1whitehouse.govGovernment
whitehouse.gov
Backs: “Since returning to office for his second term in January 2025, the Trump administration has launched sweeping initiatives aimed at restructuring, downsizing, and reforming the federal bureaucracy.”
2brookings.eduNonprofits and think tanks
brookings.edu
Backs: “Since returning to office for his second term in January 2025, the Trump administration has launched sweeping initiatives aimed at restructuring, downsizing, and reforming the federal bureaucracy.”
3wikipedia.orgEncyclopedias and referencequality 0.83
wikipedia.org
Backs: “Cost Savings and Efficiency: Proponents highlight the work of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a temporary agency created on January 20, 2025, which operated until July 4, 2026. DOGE claimed to have saved approximately $215 billion through contract terminations, modernizing outdated information…”
4narfe.orgNonprofits and think tanks
narfe.org
Backs: “DOGE claimed to have saved approximately $215 billion through contract terminations, modernizing outdated information technology, and facilitating over 260,000 federal personnel separations (via layoffs, early retirements, and voluntary departures).”
5ballotpedia.orgEncyclopedias and referencequality 0.89
ballotpedia.org
Backs: “Greater Executive Accountability: On June 3, 2026, Trump signed an executive order implementing "Schedule Policy/Career" in the excepted service. This order reclassified approximately 8,000 high-level career federal employees (primarily at the GS-15 level) who hold policy-influencing positions.”
6opm.govGovernment
opm.gov
Backs: “Greater Executive Accountability: On June 3, 2026, Trump signed an executive order implementing "Schedule Policy/Career" in the excepted service. This order reclassified approximately 8,000 high-level career federal employees (primarily at the GS-15 level) who hold policy-influencing positions.”
7house.govGovernment
house.gov
Backs: “This order reclassified approximately 8,000 high-level career federal employees (primarily at the GS-15 level) who hold policy-influencing positions. Supporters and Office of Personnel Management (OPM) officials argue this makes it easier to dismiss senior bureaucrats who actively obstruct or fail to carry out the…”
8ncsl.orgNonprofits and think tanks
ncsl.org
Backs: “Cutting "Red Tape": The administration’s aggressive push for deregulation—such as streamlining housing construction permits and environmental reviews—is viewed by advocates as a vital step to unleash economic growth, lower costs, and make government agencies more responsive to the public. Modernization of Public…”
9cbsnews.comNews and mediaquality 0.88
cbsnews.com
Backs: “Critics, including labor unions, civil service watchdogs, and progressive policymakers, argue that these changes are undermining democratic institutions, stripping the government of vital expertise, and politicizing public service. Key arguments include:”