Donald Trump’s plans to reshape the federal workforce could result in up to 50,000 people losing their jobs, raising deep concerns about the future of the civil service and the potential politicization of government decision-making.
Trump aims to reintroduce the controversial Schedule F order, which would allow the dismissal of career employees in key roles and their replacement with politically loyal appointees. Federal workers fear this move would compromise the nonpartisan nature of government operations.
“I think there would probably be an exodus because federal employees just want to do their jobs,” Jacqueline Simon, policy director of the American Federation of Government Employees, told The Hill. “They do not want to be political appointees.”
Experts warn that Schedule F could undermine the integrity of critical government functions. Ronald Sanders, who resigned from his Trump-appointed position over this policy, cautioned that such changes prioritize loyalty over competence.
“You want civil servants to be able to speak truth to power and not have to fear for their jobs,” Sanders explained.
The policy could affect vital areas such as environmental regulation, tax enforcement, and economic data collection. Simon questioned whether key decisions would benefit the public or serve political agendas. Trump’s allies envision increasing political positions from 4,000 to 50,000, risking widespread job losses and a blow to the nonpartisan workforce’s morale.
While President Biden issued a rule to protect civil servants from Schedule F, experts note Trump could reverse it within months. Sanders expressed concern that instead of fostering accountability, Schedule F could erode trust in government:
“If it’s about doing whatever the president says, whether lawful or not, that’s not a good thing.”
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