Is Donald Trump improving the US government?

Short answer: It depends what “improving” means to you. On several governance yardsticks since January 20, 2025, there are clear trade‑offs.

What’s gotten stronger (supporters’ view)

•Tighter political control over policy direction: New excepted‑service categories (Schedule G; later “Schedule Policy/Career”) let the White House place more policy‑influencing roles outside standard civil‑service protections, which the administration argues will speed implementation and accountability. These changes were made by EO 14317 (July 17, 2025) and EO 14410 (June 3, 2026).[1]

•A new President’s Management Agenda framed around shrinking and “reforming” the bureaucracy; OMB published a PMA document in late 2025.[2]

What’s gotten weaker (critics’ view)

•Continuity of government operations: The U.S. experienced the longest government‑wide shutdown on record in modern times (Oct 1–Nov 12, 2025) and the longest partial shutdown (DHS only) from Feb 14–Apr 30, 2026. These created significant service disruptions and backlogs.[3]

•Workforce voice and transparency: OPM delayed and then canceled the 2025 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS), eliminating the main government‑wide employee feedback instrument for that year; in 2026 OPM signaled it would move away from the prior model.[4]

•Performance transparency: GAO reported in mid‑2026 that OMB had not yet designated or publicly documented the required cross‑agency priority (CAP) goals tied to the PMA, reducing visibility into execution compared with GPRAMA expectations.[5]

•Fiscal outlook: CBO’s 2026 outlook still shows very large deficits (about $1.9 trillion in FY2026) and a rising debt path—no evident improvement in fiscal sustainability.[6]

•Baseline government risks: GAO’s 2025 High‑Risk update (the baseline for this Congress) lists 38 problem areas, with some progress but also regressions; it’s too early to see clear Trump‑era improvements registered in that series.[7]

Context that cuts both ways

•Public trust in Washington remains near historic lows (Pew’s 2025 reading was in the teens), which makes any major reform agenda harder to execute and evaluate; attribution to any single administration is tricky.[8]

Bottom line: If you prioritize faster top‑down control of agencies and a drive to reposition policy‑influencing jobs, you may see “improvement.” If you value operational stability, civil‑service insulation from politics, and governmentwide performance transparency, the shutdowns, FEVS cancellation, and lag in publishing CAP goals point the other way.

If you tell me which aspects you care about—service delivery, hiring/merit systems, immigration enforcement, budgets, IT/cyber, veterans’ care, etc.—I can go deeper with targeted evidence.

Citations (8)

1govinfo.govGovernment
Administration of Donald J. Trump, 2025
Backs: “These changes were made by EO 14317 (July 17, 2025) and EO 14410 (June 3, 2026).”
2whitehouse.govGovernment
President's Management Agenda
Backs: “A new President’s Management Agenda framed around shrinking and “reforming” the bureaucracy; OMB published a PMA document in late 2025.”
3house.govGovernment
Funding Gaps and Shutdowns in the Federal Government | US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives
Backs: “The U.S. experienced the longest government‑wide shutdown on record in modern times (Oct 1–Nov 12, 2025) and the longest partial shutdown (DHS only) from Feb 14–Apr 30, 2026. These created significant service disruptions and backlogs.”
4federalnewsnetwork.comNews and mediaquality 0.93
After months of postponing, OPM opts to fully cancel 2025 FEVS | Federal News Network
Backs: “OPM delayed and then canceled the 2025 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS), eliminating the main government‑wide employee feedback instrument for that year; in 2026 OPM signaled it would move away from the prior model.”
5gao.govGovernment
GAO-26-108516, GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT: OMB and Selected Agencies Need to Fully Address New Requirements
Backs: “GAO reported in mid‑2026 that OMB had not yet designated or publicly documented the required cross‑agency priority (CAP) goals tied to the PMA, reducing visibility into execution compared with GPRAMA expectations.”
6cbo.govGovernment
The Budget and Economic Outlook: 2026 to 2036 | Congressional Budget Office
Backs: “CBO’s 2026 outlook still shows very large deficits (about $1.9 trillion in FY2026) and a rising debt path—no evident improvement in fiscal sustainability.”
7gao.govGovernment
High Risk List | U.S. GAO
Backs: “GAO’s 2025 High‑Risk update (the baseline for this Congress) lists 38 problem areas, with some progress but also regressions; it’s too early to see clear Trump‑era improvements registered in that series.”
8pewresearch.orgNonprofits and think tanks
Public Trust in Government: 1958-2025 | Pew Research Center
Backs: “Public trust in Washington remains near historic lows (Pew’s 2025 reading was in the teens), which makes any major reform agenda harder to execute and evaluate; attribution to any single administration is tricky.”