Is Donald Trump improving the US government?

Is the Trump administration improving the government? I'll gather the latest data on reforms, efficiency, and performance to give you a balanced answer.

Whether Donald Trump is improving the U.S. government depends on the metrics and perspective used. Supporters and critics point to different indicators:

What the administration and supporters point to

The White House describes the second term as "the most consequential stretch of governing in modern American history", citing several government-reform claims:

•Efficiency and workforce reduction: The administration says 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. The same $215 billion figure is described as savings from government-wide efficiency reforms.

•Deregulation: The administration revoked the Obama-era Endangerment Finding — described as the single-largest deregulatory action in American history, worth $1.3 trillion. Its government-wide deregulatory mandate is projected to save the U.S. economy $1.5 trillion in FY2026 alone. Its 2026 Regulatory Plan identified 702 existing rules slated for elimination, and it announced modernization efforts such as switching to electronic payments and launching America.gov and Login.gov initiatives to streamline services and.

•Service delivery: The White House states the backlog of veterans waiting for benefits has dropped by 74%.

•Broader agenda: A fiscal 2026 budget and President's Management Agenda outline goals to reduce the federal workforce, reduce real estate, modernize technology, and centralize contracting, described as an effort to reshape federal priorities and operations.

In general policy debate, supporters point to tax cuts, deregulation, and job growth, and praise deregulation efforts for lowering costs on businesses and encouraging investment.

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), launched in January 2025 under the second administration, was presented as the vehicle for these changes through a "reform initiative through the Department of Government Efficiency". DOGE initially aimed to eliminate $2 trillion in perceived waste, later reduced to $150 billion, and by dissolution claimed to have saved $215 billion.

What critics and oversight reviews point to

•Costs of the workforce reduction: The Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported the administration spent an estimated $9.5 billion in 2025 paying federal employees not to work, representing a 435 percent increase in paid administrative leave over 2023 totals. A separate report summarized as nearly $7 billion paid to outgoing employees not to work was also attributed to GAO.

•Waste claims: Democratic critics argued DOGE generated at least $21.7 BILLION in wasteful spending, and was forced to rehire thousands of the employees it fired. Reviews also noted DOGE gutted agencies like USAID and made massive cuts to the VA that disrupted studies involving patients awaiting experimental treatments.

•Shutdown and service disruption: A federal government shutdown that began October 1, 2025 lasted 43 days, described as a historic 43-day federal shutdown. During the shutdown, about 900,000 federal employees were furloughed and ~700,000 worked without pay. The Congressional Budget Office estimated the shutdown will temporarily reduce the level of real GDP.

•Critiques of deregulation: Critics counter that some eliminated regulations provided important protections for workers, consumers, public health, and the environment, and warned that loosening regulations could lead to environmental damage and increase risk of financial instability. On economic policy broadly, critics highlight concerns about increased national debt and benefits skewed towards corporations and the wealthy.

Public opinion polling

Polling in late 2025 showed divided and largely negative approval on government management:

•An AP-NORC poll fielded during the shutdown found that only three in ten adults approve of Trump’s handling of the economy, health care, or the federal government. Overall, 62% disapproved while 36% approved.

•Disapproval of his management of the federal government grew since March, when 43% approved compared with 33% in November. That decline was driven primarily by Republicans, whose approval fell from 81% to 68%.

•Other national averages at year-end 2025 showed 43.4% approval and 53.3% disapproval, and Pew Research reported 38% approval with 60% disapproval.

Summary

By administration metrics — dollars of claimed savings, number of regulations eliminated, and workforce size — the government has become leaner and less regulatory. By oversight and critic metrics — GAO-reported costs of paid leave, re-hiring after layoffs, service disruptions during the 43-day shutdown, and low public approval of federal government management — the same actions are seen as creating new costs and reducing service effectiveness.

Evaluation therefore tends to reflect whether an observer prioritizes smaller government and deregulation as improvements, or continuity of services, staffing stability, and regulatory protections as measures of improvement.

Citations (3)

1whitehouse.govGovernment
President Trump Delivers Historic Results for the American People in Under Two Years
Backs: “government depends on the metrics and perspective used. Supporters and critics point to different indicators: What the administration and supporters point to”
2democrats.orgNonprofits and think tanks
The Trump–Musk DOGE Failure: Chaos, Corruption, and $21.7 Billion in Waste
Backs: “Costs of the workforce reduction: The Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported the administration spent an estimated $9.5 billion in 2025 paying federal employees not to work, representing a 435 percent increase in paid administrative leave over 2023 totals. A separate report summarized as nearly $7 billion…”
3apnorc.orgAcademic
Trump’s approval rating remains low during government shutdown
Backs: “On economic policy broadly, critics highlight concerns about increased national debt and benefits skewed towards corporations and the wealthy. Public opinion polling. Polling in late 2025 showed divided and largely negative approval on government management: An AP-NORC poll fielded during the shutdown found that only…”