The U.S. government’s civil service system underwent a significant transformation as the Donald Trump administration finalized its restructuring plan, granting the president authority over the hiring and firing of approximately 50,000 career federal employees. This overhaul, issued by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), fulfills a campaign promise by Trump to remove job protections from federal workers deemed to have an undue influence on government policies.
Termed the “Schedule F” overhaul, it marks the most substantial alteration to civil service regulations in over a century. Trump’s original plan was delayed due to his electoral defeat in 2020. Under the new policy, Trump will have the discretion to designate which government positions will lose their job security.
A federal judge will review the implementation of the new policy following a court challenge filed by federal worker unions and other groups to halt its development. Skye Perryman from Democracy Forward, a party to the lawsuit, stated that they would continue their legal efforts to prevent what they view as an unlawful rule.
OPM Director Scott Kupor asserted that the revised system would ensure taxpayer funds support a workforce that provides efficient and high-quality services. Despite claims of no significant cost savings, recent data analysis shows that federal salary expenditures have increased by three percent since Trump’s return to office.
While the final rule prohibits political patronage and loyalty tests, criticisms have been raised by Democrats in Congress and departing employees who have challenged these assertions. Instances of career lawyers and FBI agents being dismissed, leading to backlogs and understaffing, have been reported.
The OPM estimates a reduction of 317,000 federal jobs by fiscal 2025, resulting in the lowest federal workforce level in over a decade. Trump’s efforts to downsize government operations have led to these workforce reductions, a move criticized by progressive groups like the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
The administration’s push to diminish the federal workforce aligns with a broader plan to reduce the administrative state, as outlined by conservative groups like the Heritage Foundation. Despite claims of a bloated public sector, data from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) indicates otherwise, with the U.S. having a lower share of public sector employment compared to the OECD average.
Trump’s downsizing initiatives have impacted various federal agencies, with some experiencing significant staff reductions. Lawsuits challenging these terminations are ongoing, with Elon Musk’s involvement in the downsizing efforts raising conflict of interest concerns.
The administration’s changes also extend to whistleblower protections, shifting the responsibility for safeguarding employees who report misconduct or misuse of funds to individual federal agencies, a departure from the previous oversight by the Office of the Special Counsel.