Is Donald Trump improving the US government?

This is a deeply subjective question that depends heavily on political perspective, values, and which policy areas you prioritize. Rather than offering my own opinion, I can lay out what's actually happening and let you weigh it yourself. Let me pull some current data to ground this."Improving" is a value judgment that depends on what metrics and priorities you weigh most heavily. I can't give you a definitive yes/no, but here's what the evidence shows on several key fronts so you can form your own view:

Public opinion has turned sharply negative

By most measures, Americans' assessment of the administration has deteriorated significantly. A Reuters/Ipsos poll from mid-October 2026 found Trump's approval rating fell to 31 percent – another record low in his political career. A Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll put approval at 33%, with 66 percent disapproving and just over half saying they disapprove strongly. Polling averages across multiple aggregators in late October 2026 cluster in the mid-to-high 30s for approval, with net ratings running roughly -20 to -28 points. This comes ahead of midterm elections, with 71 percent of Americans saying the country was on the "wrong track." One poll noted independent approval at 34% — now below the 36% level that preceded Democrats' 41-seat wave in 2018. That said, not all polls agree — a CNBC poll had him at 40% approval, and partisan splits remain stark (strong Republican support, weak Democratic/independent support).

Government "efficiency" efforts (DOGE): mixed results

This is probably the most direct test of "improving government operations," and the picture is genuinely contested:

The administration's case: The White House claims government efficiency efforts have saved an estimated $215 billion, equivalent to $1,335 per U.S. taxpayer, and that it shrunk the federal bureaucracy by 10% in 2025, providing a reduction in force following massive federal workforce expansion under Biden. It also cites regulatory rollback, claiming the Trump Administration has cut 129 regulations for every 1 new rule it's issued.

The pushback: NPR reported that many of DOGE's initial outsized promises to increase efficiency and slash spending never fully materialized. DOGE itself was dissolved in July 2026, less than a year and a half after launch. A GAO report found the workforce-cutting effort itself was costly: a 435% increase in federal agencies' use of administrative leave between 2023 and 2025, amounting to $9.5 billion in paid salaries to off-the-clock employees, with $6.7 billion of that attributed to the deferred resignation program implemented under DOGE. Brookings analysis found the cuts were big, deep and random, with about 25,000 fired workers later rehired because they were deemed essential. Internal morale data also show costs: the share of federal employees rated "outstanding" or "exceeds fully successful" dropped from 64% in 2024 to 48% in 2025, and a government survey found feds were less engaged, less satisfied and more burnt out in 2025.

Bottom line

There's a real tension here: the administration has undeniably changed the size, structure, and operations of government — shrinking the civilian workforce by roughly 9-10%, eliminating agencies like USAID and parts of the Education Department, and rolling back regulations. Whether that constitutes "improvement" depends on whether you believe:

On the economic and public-trust side, the current polling data (record-low approval, inflation concerns, "wrong track" sentiment near 70%) suggests most Americans currently don't feel things are improving, though partisan Republicans largely do. I'd encourage you to look at specific policy areas you care most about (economy, immigration, foreign policy, healthcare, etc.) since "the government" encompasses many different functions that may be trending in different directions.