Shrinking Republican backing for a non-political federal workforce, according to a new poll
The landscape of public sentiment towards the federal workforce has undergone a significant transformation, particularly among Republicans, in the wake of the Trump administration's policies.
According to recent findings, Republicans increasingly support stronger presidential control over the federal workforce, a trend that has been reinforced by Trump’s efforts to reduce federal employees and limit bureaucratic power [1]. The Trump administration's mass layoffs and restructuring efforts have shifted norms and legal frameworks, culminating in the 2025 Supreme Court ruling that enabled more aggressive executive actions concerning federal workers [1].
This shift reflects broader Republican values emphasizing smaller government and increased accountability of federal agencies to the presidency, resonating with younger GOP voters who prioritize stability, economic independence, and traditional cultural values [3].
The Trump administration's actions, including the creation of new federal employment classifications that attempt to remove civil service protections for broad swaths of career federal employees, and the Office of Personnel Management's proposed regulations around suitability and fitness standards for federal employees, have been met with controversy [2].
However, the shift in public sentiment is not universally positive. Ongoing legal and political battles indicate this is a contested transformation of presidential power [1][4]. The Partnership for Public Service conducted a nationally representative survey in April and found a significant drop-off in the percentage of Americans who believe presidents should not have the power to fill federal jobs with those who agree with their policies [5].
Despite this, the public's trust in government has seen a slight rise, as has the public's support for the civil service. More Americans now agree that presidents should be able to fire any civil servant they choose, for any reason - increasing from 25% to 34% in one year [6]. Specifically for Republicans, 60% said they believe the president should have that power - an increase from 37% last year [6].
The Partnership attributes the growing levels of trust in government to more positive responses from Republicans in the latest study [7]. After more than 40 years of persistently negative perceptions of government, some members of the public are willing to see any change as better than the status quo [8].
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- The federal workforce, especially among Republicans, has seen a transforming viewpoint, with an increasing support for stronger presidential control over the civil service, as a result of the Trump administration's policy-and-legislation.
- Contentious changes, such as Trump's administration's creation of new federal employment classifications and the proposed regulations around suitability and fitness standards for federal employees, have sparked controversy within the civil service framework.
- Despite ongoing legal and political battles, the public's trust in government and support for the civil service has seen a small improvement, with a higher percentage of Americans agreeing that presidents should have the power to fire any civil servant they choose, especially among Republicans.
