Is Donald Trump improving the US government?

This is a deeply subjective political question that reasonable people disagree on, so I can't give you a definitive yes/no answer. What I can do is share some factual, verifiable information about his recent actions and their documented effects, and you can weigh that against your own values and priorities.## There's No Single, Objective Answer — Here's What the Evidence Shows

Whether Trump is "improving" the government depends heavily on your values and what you prioritize. Here's a factual breakdown of different dimensions, drawing on recent data:

Public Opinion

Trump's approval ratings have fallen sharply. United States President Donald Trump's approval rating has fallen to 31 percent – another record low in his political career, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll. A separate Washington Post poll found similar results, with the president's approval... fallen to a new low, and support for Democrats in the race for control of Congress rising. Polling averages across multiple firms put him in the high-30s approval range with net approval around -20 to -24 points.

Claimed Achievements (White House's own framing)

The administration touts significant wins on immigration enforcement: ICE has arrested more than 10,000 illegal alien gang members, and the Trump Administration has stopped more than 10,000 narcoterrorists from entering the country. It also claims fentanyl trafficking at the southern border collapsed 56% and fentanyl-linked deaths plunged 22% in a single year. FactCheck.org's independent analysis confirms some of this: over the last 12 months under Trump, there were 90,875 immigrants apprehended attempting to illegally cross the southern border, down about 91% from the last 12 months under Biden.

Government Efficiency Efforts (DOGE)

The Department of Government Efficiency was established by executive order on January 20, 2025, and ceased operation on July 4, 2026, as scheduled. Its stated objective was to modernize information technology and maximize productivity within the federal government. However, a nonpartisan watchdog group found the cuts didn't achieve their goals: the Partnership for Public Service released a report assessing the impacts of his administration's federal workforce reductions, concluding that they have decreased the effectiveness of government services, not achieved stated efficiency goals and were conducted with minimal transparency. Notably, government spending increased between fiscal 2024 and 2025 despite the cuts.

Fiscal Picture

The federal deficit has grown substantially: the deficit increased to nearly $2 trillion in fiscal year 2026, as the government spent a record of almost $7.4 trillion but only received about $5.4 trillion in revenue. The FY 2026 deficit was the largest since FY 2021 — which was exacerbated by emergency pandemic spending.

Workforce & Service Impacts

Federal agency capacity has been notably reduced: federal government employment has fallen by 328,000, or 10.9%, since he took office, with the Partnership for Public Service arguing workforce cuts at agencies like the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Federal Emergency Management Agency and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have made the U.S. less prepared for a future 9/11 terrorist attack, Hurricane Katrina or COVID-19 pandemic. Other specific harms cited include: Americans are more likely to face challenges filing taxes in 2026 due to sizable Internal Revenue Service staff cuts, and the Department of Agriculture cut two programs that provide more than $1 billion for schools and food banks.

Institutional/Rule-of-Law Concerns

Critics argue the administration has concentrated power in troubling ways: the Trump administration has continued to thwart Congress' constitutional authority; ignore court orders and clear statutory law; and illegally gut federal agencies and vital programs, among many other aggregations of power.

Bottom line: Supporters point to immigration enforcement, crime reduction claims, and deregulation as genuine improvements. Critics point to falling public trust, reduced agency capacity, rising deficits despite "efficiency" efforts, and institutional/rule-of-law concerns. Whether these changes constitute "improvement" ultimately depends on which outcomes you weigh most heavily.