Is Donald Trump improving the US government?

Is Trump streamlining government or straining it? I'll look at recent reform efforts and their impact.

Whether Donald Trump is improving the U.S. government is disputed, with different metrics and perspectives leading to different conclusions:

Arguments and claims that he is improving government:

Efficiency and size of government:
The White House states its 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 DOGE claimed over $110 billion to $215 billion in gross savings, primarily through cancelled federal grants, terminated property leases, and administrative rollbacks.

The federal civil service was shrunk by roughly 12 percent, or about 270,000 jobs, largely through a government-wide Deferred Resignation Program.

Deregulation:
The administration revoked the Obama-era Endangerment Finding — described as the single-largest deregulatory action in American history, worth $1.3 trillion.

President Trump’s government-wide deregulatory mandate is projected to save the U.S. economy $1.5 trillion in FY2026 alone.

The 2026 Regulatory Plan identified 702 existing rules slated for elimination, nearly double the number eliminated in President Trump's first term.

Management agenda:
The administration's management agenda includes goals to eliminate "woke" programs, downsize the government workforce and real estate portfolio, implement workforce reforms and modernize government technology.

Services for veterans:
The administration states that under Trump the backlog of veterans waiting for benefits has dropped by 74%. As of July 2026, the administration dropped the backlog to below 70,000 for the first time since 2020.

Arguments and claims that he is harming government:

Institutional erosion:
Watchdog groups and civil-rights organizations argue that Trump’s actions have worn down institutions meant to constrain executive power, including attacks on election integrity, pressure on agencies and career officials, and attempts to reshape the federal apparatus around personal loyalty.

Independent democracy tracking organizations, such as Sweden's V-Dem Institute and the non-partisan Bright Line Watch, have noted a swift concentration of executive authority and degradation of established democratic norms.

Bright Line Watch concluded that the system now sits "nearly midway between liberal democracy and dictatorship".

Critiques of efficiency effort:
Critics note that federal employees were paid $9.5 billion not to work during 2025, in large part because of the administration's efforts to shrink the federal workforce.

Some analysis argued that despite the workforce cuts, government spending was still rising, with only a modest impact on spending.

Public opinion polling:
Polls in 2026 show low approval for the administration. One poll found Donald Trump's approval rating has fallen to 32%, while 67% disapprove. Another Strength In Numbers/Verasight poll found just 34% approve of Trump's job performance.

Summary

Supporters point to reduced federal workforce size, claimed cost savings, deregulation, and improved processing of veterans' claims as evidence of improvement. Critics point to concerns about democratic norms, institutional checks, and polling indicating public dissatisfaction, as well as questions about whether savings translated into lower overall spending.