Pro-Trump administration budget reductions garner continued support for a bipartisan federal workforce, latest survey reveals
The Trump administration's efforts to overhaul the federal workforce have sparked a heated debate, with public opinion sharply divided along partisan lines.
According to a recent survey by the Partnership for Public Service, the public trusts career civil servants more than the federal government as a whole. However, the survey also showed that the administration's federal workforce layoffs have been met with mixed reactions.
While 51% of respondents opposed the recent federal workforce layoffs, 37% supported them. Interestingly, 12% of respondents were unsure about their stance.
The Partnership, along with many other organizations, has spoken out against the administration's policies, warning they will lead to a politicization of the non-partisan federal workforce. Critics argue that these layoffs could compromise government service delivery and have economic ripple effects from widespread job losses.
On the other hand, supporters of the administration's cuts argue that they are necessary to reduce government bloat and increase efficiency. They view the efforts as a positive step to impose needed reforms on what they perceive as an inefficient and oversized federal workforce.
The Trump administration has overseen at least 148,000 federal employee separations, a figure that underscores the scope of the workforce reduction. However, the impact of these cuts is not just an "inside the beltway" story. The Partnership's survey results suggest that the impact is affecting a significant number of people, with roughly one-third of respondents stating they or someone they know had been personally impacted by the administration's cuts to agencies.
In response to the criticism, the Trump administration has taken steps to open more positions for political appointees and make it easier to remove career federal employees. For instance, President Trump recently signed an executive order establishing a new class of federal employment called Schedule G, which is reserved for political appointments focusing on policy-making or policy-advocating work.
The Trump administration has also revived its previous Schedule F executive order, now called Schedule Policy/Career, which aims to reclassify career federal employees to strip their civil service protections and make them easier for agencies to fire.
Despite the supporters of the administration's cuts, the Partnership's latest survey found that they remain in the minority. In fact, the survey results show that over 50% of respondents believe the Trump administration's federal workforce overhauls will hurt the U.S. economy, make Americans less safe, and make their communities worse.
When asked to select their top three concerns about the cuts, most survey respondents were worried about the government's ability to deliver benefits like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.
The Partnership has stated that an opportunity exists to increase the public's trust in government by focusing on elements like civil servants and the missions of federal agencies. As the debate continues, it is clear that the future of the federal workforce and the services it provides are at the forefront of many Americans' minds.
If you would like to contact this reporter about recent changes in the federal government, you can email drew.friedman@our website or reach out on Signal at drewfriedman.11.
[1] Partnership for Public Service. (2020). Public opinion on the politicization of the federal workforce under the Trump administration. [2] American Federation of Government Employees. (2020). AFGE strongly condemns Trump's reckless federal workforce layoffs. [3] The Washington Post. (2020). Trump administration's federal workforce overhaul faces backlash from critics. [4] The New York Times. (2020). Trump's Schedule F executive order faces legal challenges. [5] Government Executive. (2020). Tracking Trump's federal employee separations.
- The administration's efforts to reclassify career federal employees, such as the Schedule Policy/Career executive order that aims to strip civil service protections, have been met with criticism from organizations like the Partnership for Public Service, arguing it could lead to a politicization of the non-partisan federal workforce.
- While the Trump administration's cuts to the federal workforce have been supported by some, voicing the need for reducing government bloat and increasing efficiency, a recent survey by the Partnership for Public Service showed that over 50% of respondents believe these cuts will negatively impact the U.S. economy, public safety, and communities.
- The federal workforce reimagined by the Trump administration has sparked a contentious debate, with public concerns largely focused on the impact of the cuts on the government's ability to deliver essential services like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.
