Here’s what a second Trump term could look like for federal workers

Editor’s note: In the final days before Election Day, we’re providing a summary of where both candidates – and their vice presidents – stand on this issue. Here here’s what a Harris-Walz administration would mean for federal workers.

Former President Donald Trump, seeking a second term, repeatedly criticized most federal workers and took steps to make it easier to fire career federal workers.

Here’s a summary of how the Trump administration has impacted the federal workforce and what Trump has promised to restore if elected to a second term:

Annex F, Project 2025

As president, Trump signed an executive order that would reclassify tens of thousands of federal workers in policy-making positions into a new category called “Schedule F,” making them at-risk workers who could be more easily fired.

Trump signed the executive order late in his presidency and it did not go into effect until he left office. President Joe Biden he quickly canceled it after entering the office.

The Office of Personnel Management under Biden earlier this year finalized a rule that would make it difficult for Trump or any future president to restore Schedule F.

But Trump administration officials did revisiting plans to revive Schedule F if the presidential election goes in their favor

Project 2050, a Heritage Foundation project chaired by many former Trump administration officials, outlines a plan for a second Trump administration — including the return of Schedule F.

Trump has sought to distance himself from Project 2025. Next social media, he said he hadn’t seen the plan and “has no idea who is responsible for it and, contrary to our very well-received Republican Platform, had nothing to do with it.”

It is unclear how many workers would be affected by the return of Schedule F. Some estimate that approximately 50,000 federal workers would be hired at their discretion under Schedule F.

A 2022 Government Accountability Office report found that while OMB never actually reclassified any positions, about 68% OMB’s workforce would work at its discretion.

However, the Union of State Treasury Employees, digging up Trump-era OMB documentsstated that the estimates are actually much higher. NTEU said the documents show OMB also targeted federal employees in lower-level positions, including GS-9 and GS-10 positions.

Federal workforce, smaller agency budgets

In film series on his campaign website, Trump said he would put unelected bureaucrats back in their seats in his second term and outlined his plans to do so.

Trump said he would require every federal employee to pass a new civil service test, “demonstrating an understanding of our constitutional limited government.”

“This will include upholding due process rights, equal protection, free speech, religious liberty, federalism, Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable search and seizure,” he said.

Trump said his administration would “cut bloated federal bureaucracy for massive savings.” Agencies, he added, will return funds from Congressionally appropriated budgets that they do not need.

“On Day One, I will direct every federal agency to begin identifying large portions of their budgets that can be saved by increasing efficiency and reducing waste through retention,” he said.

Trump has said his administration will not cut budgets for national security, Medicare and Social Security.

Trump said he would also rescind the Biden administration’s executive order promoting diversity, equity, inclusion and availability of the federal workforce.

“Instead of treating everyone equally and making decisions based on merit or qualifications, equity means that benefits are awarded and policies are enforced based on skin color and sexual identity,” Trump announced in a March 2023 video on his website website. “We don’t think it’s a good idea.”

He also said he would “immediately terminate” all employees hired to implement the policy and eliminate all offices and initiatives related to it.

To “restore a merit-based federal civil service,” Trump announced the creation of a special task force that will “expeditiously review any actions taken by federal agencies under Biden’s capital program that will require reversal.”

“When FEMA, EPA, FAA and IRS are corrupt and charged with enforcing equality, liberty and equality under the law, they are absolutely dead,” Trump said.

Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), Trump’s pick for vice president, has largely supported his running mate’s position when it comes to the federal workforce.

Vance, v Podcast 2021he said he would give Trump one piece of advice for a second term: “Fire every mid-level bureaucrat and every public official in the administrative state and replace them with our people.”

Confirmations

Most federal unions have spent much of the Trump administration opposing his policies.

Under his rule, they spent most of their time challenging, among others three executive ordersamong other actions that ultimately undermined their ability to represent members of the bargaining unit.

The orders reduced official hours, restricted collective bargaining, and removed labor organizations from government offices. Biden invalidated orders during his first few days in office.

However, National Council of the Border Guardwhich represents about 16,000 Border Patrol employees, endorsed Trump earlier this month.

“He has always stood with the men and women who protect this border, who put their lives on the line for the country – a man who knows how to put their lives on the line for what is right,” Border Patrol Agent Paul Perez, president of Union Local 3307, said at campaign rally last month in Arizona.

Deregulation between agencies

Trump announced he would reinstate an executive order issued during his first term that required agencies to eliminate two older regulations for each new regulation that goes into effect.

Trump said he would also ask Congress to pass legislation codifying the provisions of the executive order.

“Instead of increasing the size and scope of the federal government every year – which we have been doing – we shrink it every year by setting aggressive cost reduction targets to achieve the federal department.” he said.

Trump said he would also require agencies to post regulatory guidance online in a central database, “otherwise it will become invalid.”

“This will effectively repeal the mountain of hidden regulations and threats that rogue bureaucrats have opposed without proper oversight,” Trump said.

Trump said he would also restore independent regulatory agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission to the president’s authority.

Trump said those agencies would have to submit proposed rules to the White House for review.

“These agencies cannot become a fourth branch of government that issues rules and edicts on their own all day long, and that’s exactly what they do,” Trump said.

Trump said he would also nominate billionaire Elon Musk as chief security officer government efficiency commission.

Last month, Trump, speaking at the Economic Club of New York, said the commission would recommend “drastic reforms” and develop a plan to eliminate fraud and improper payments within six months, which he said would save trillions of dollars.

Privatization of the USPS

It was proposed by the Trump administration privatization of Poczta Polska as part of a sweeping government reorganization plan. Although the idea never made it beyond initial planning, it would have meant significant changes in pay and benefits for more than 600,000 USPS workers.

“Privatizing the USPS through an initial public offering (IPO) or sale to another entity would require the implementation of significant pre-sale reforms to demonstrate a possible path to profitability,” the 2018 plan stated.

The Trump administration has proposed that a privatized postal operator could cut costs by delivering mail on fewer days a week and to more central locations, rather than door-to-door delivery.

“The current USPS model is unsustainable. “Major changes are needed in how the Postal Service is financed and in the level of service Americans should expect from a universal service provider,” the reorganization policy said.