I'll gather recent data on how the Trump administration's changes are affecting the federal government.
Whether Donald Trump is improving the US government depends on how "improving" is defined, and evaluations are divided.
What the Administration Points To as Improvements
The White House describes the period since January 2025 as "the most consequential stretch of governing in modern American history", claiming it:
•sealed the border, drove violent crime to historic lows, unleashed American energy, cut taxes for working families
•ended "catch-and-release" — and has not released a single illegal alien into the country for 15 straight months
•achieved the murder rate falling to a historic low in 2025 — the lowest level in 125 years — after the largest annual drop in violent crime
•achieved record domestic oil and gas production in 2025 and record crude and petroleum-product exports in 2026
On government structure specifically, the administration cites:
•Government efficiency efforts have saved an estimated $215 billion, equivalent to $1,335 per U.S. taxpayer
•President Trump shrunk the federal bureaucracy by 10% in 2025, providing a much-need reduction in force following massive federal workforce expansion under Biden
•As of August, just 2.67 million people were employed by the federal government, down from just over 3 million when President Donald Trump took office, marking the lowest headcount since 1966
•Government employment has not accounted for any job growth under President Trump, down from 25% under Biden
•The Trump Administration has cut 129 regulations for every 1 new rule it's issued
•The administration's government-wide deregulatory mandate is projected to save the U.S. economy $1.5 trillion in FY2026 alone
Supporters view these as improving government by making it smaller, less regulatory, more focused on border enforcement and in-person work - the percentage of federal employees working in-office increasing 30% in the second quarter of 2025.
What Critics and Watchdogs Point To as Worsening
Independent and watchdog assessments highlight costs and disruptions:
•A Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released on September 15, 2026, shows that the US government spent an estimated $9.5 billion on paid administrative leave for federal workers in 2025. This represents a 435% increase in leave usage and a sixfold rise in salary costs compared to 2023
•Under a deferred resignation program initiated in January 2025, approximately 139,963 employees agreed to resign or retire by September 30, 2025, while receiving full pay and benefits on administrative leave. This program accounted for roughly $6.7 billion of the total cost
•Despite workforce cuts, federal spending has increased, with $7.6 trillion spent in the first 11 months of 2025, surpassing previous years
•The 43-day shutdown that began in October—the longest in history—caused further disruption of critical government services
•That shutdown was the 11th government shutdown that resulted in federal employees being furloughed and the longest full government shutdown in U.S. history, lasting 43 days
•Trump had targeted more than 4,000 workers for dismissal at the start of the 43-day shutdown, the longest in US history
•An analysis by the Partnership for Public Service found that the numerous unilateral actions taken by Trump and his administration have harmed the ability of our government to meet public needs
Critics argue the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) approach prioritized rapid headcount reduction over long-term capacity and cost-effectiveness, and that service delivery, institutional knowledge, and regulatory oversight suffered.
Public Opinion
Polling in late 2025-2026 shows low approval of the administration's handling of government and the economy:
•Amid the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, President Trump's approval ratings remain low. An AP-NORC poll, fielded just before several Senate Democrats moved to end the shutdown, finds that only three in ten adults approve of Trump's handling of the economy, health care, or the federal government
•Trump's approval rating stands at a record low of 32%
•On specific issues: 77% disapprove of Trump's handling of inflation, while 22% approve
•Just 26% of U.S. adults approve of his handling of the economy overall
•In a Harvard CAPS / Harris poll, President Donald Trump's approval rating is at 42%. His job approval is highest on immigration (48%) and fighting crime in America's cities (47%), and lowest on handling inflation (34%), the economy (37%)
Bottom Line
•If "improving" means smaller federal workforce, fewer regulations, lower border crossings, and reported drops in violent crime, the administration and its supporters say yes.
•If "improving" means efficient spending, stable government operations, avoiding shutdowns, and preserving agency capacity, critics and GAO data point to significant costs and disruptions.
There is no independent, comprehensive consensus assessment that definitively concludes the government overall is "improved" or not since 2025 — assessments vary by metric and political perspective.