Improving Efficiency in the Federal Workforce to Better Serve Americans
President Donald J. Trump has taken a significant step towards reforming the federal workforce to better serve Americans by signing an Executive Order that implements the President’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) workforce optimization initiative.
- The Executive Order aims to make the federal workforce more efficient and effective by coordinating and consulting with DOGE to shrink the size of the federal workforce and limit hiring to essential positions.
- The Office of Personnel Management will also initiate a rulemaking process to ensure that federal employees are held to the highest standards of conduct.
This Order will not only make the government more efficient but also significantly reduce its size by implementing a hiring plan that allows agencies to hire no more than one employee for every four employees that depart from federal service (with exceptions for essential positions in national security, public safety, law enforcement, and immigration enforcement).
- Agencies will also be required to develop plans for large-scale reductions in force and identify agency components that may be eliminated or combined due to unnecessary functions.
President Trump’s Commitment to Reducing the Size of Government
- President Trump is dedicated to reducing the size and scope of the federal government, as the current workforce exceeds 2.4 million employees (excluding active-duty military and Postal Service workers) and consists of over 400 federal agencies.
- In fiscal year 2022, the federal government spent nearly $300 billion on compensation for civilian employees, contributing significantly to federal spending and debt.
Building on Past Success
- President Trump has prioritized reforming the federal workforce in his second term, building on the successes of his first term which focused on regulatory reform to spur economic growth and innovation.
