President Donald J. Trump has taken decisive action to restore accountability and transparency to the federal workforce, continuing his pledge to dismantle the deep state and combat entrenched Washington bureaucracy.
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM), under President Trump’s direction, has proposed new regulations implementing his executive order titled “Restoring Accountability to Policy-Influencing Positions Within the Federal Workforce.” This rule creates a new category—Schedule Policy/Career—for federal employees who hold positions with significant policy-making, advocating, or confidential duties. Approximately 50,000 federal employees, roughly 2% of the federal workforce, could ultimately fall into this category.
Crucially, these employees will now serve as at-will employees, streamlining the ability of federal agencies to swiftly remove underperforming or misconducting bureaucrats. The cumbersome processes put in place during the Biden administration, which often protected poorly performing employees, will be significantly scaled back.
The new rule specifically targets senior officials responsible for policy decisions, rather than frontline employees such as Border Patrol agents or wage inspectors, who will remain unaffected. Employees classified under the new Schedule Policy/Career will maintain their competitive hiring status and are not obligated to personally or politically support the President, but they must faithfully execute the administration’s policies and the law.
This move comes after mounting evidence of systemic dysfunction within federal agencies. A Government Accountability Office report highlighted that removing poorly performing federal workers takes between six months to a year, even before appeals processes begin. Less than a quarter of federal employees surveyed believe their agencies effectively address poor performance.
Additionally, disturbing instances of corruption have emerged, such as misconduct at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), where senior supervisors were found to have pressured female employees for inappropriate favors. Due to overly protective bureaucratic procedures, virtually no disciplinary actions were taken, perpetuating a toxic culture.
Furthermore, many senior bureaucrats have openly defied presidential directives, placing their personal agendas over public service. Examples include Department of Justice attorneys who refused to support litigation against Yale University for alleged racial discrimination and Department of Education employees obstructing the implementation of crucial Title IX regulations.
President Trump originally attempted to tackle these issues during his first term through the creation of Schedule F positions. However, the Biden administration reversed those reforms, reintroducing protective regulations that shielded federal employees from accountability. With this latest action, President Trump fulfills his campaign promise to reinstate necessary reforms, ensuring federal employees remain accountable to elected officials—and ultimately to the American people.
In doing so, President Trump continues his mission to restore integrity and transparency in Washington, demonstrating his commitment to eliminating bureaucratic overreach and protecting democracy from unelected officials seeking to impose their own agendas.
