By Charles Switzer
10:44am PDT, Apr 19, 2025
Trump's Push to Terminate Federal Workers Opposing His Agenda
On Friday, April 18, President
Donald Trump announced a new initiative aimed at making it easier to terminate federal workers who oppose his administration's policies, the
New York Post reported.
Trump stated that he wanted the federal government to be "run like a business" and emphasized that those who do not align with his political agenda should no longer hold government jobs.
Here's what's happening.
MORE:
Follow Wonderwall on MSN for more top news
The 'Schedule F' Rule and Its Impact on Federal Workers
The new rule, introduced by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), will reclassify key employees working on important policy matters as "Schedule Policy/Career."
This reclassification removes civil service protections and makes these workers "at-will" employees, meaning they can be dismissed without the same level of job security.
According to OPM estimates, this move could lead to the dismissal of approximately 50,000 workers, or about 2 percent of the federal workforce. The reason for these dismissals would be either poor performance or "subversion" of Donald Trump's directives.
Trump's Rationale for the New Rule
Donald Trump voiced his support for the rule on Truth Social, by stating, "Following my Day One Executive Order, the Office of Personnel Management will be issuing new Civil Service Regulations for career government employees. Moving forward, career government employees, working on policy matters, will be classified as 'Schedule Policy/Career,' and will be held to the highest standards of conduct and performance. If these government workers refuse to advance the policy interests of the President, or are engaging in corrupt behavior, they should no longer have a job. This is common sense, and will allow the federal government to finally be 'run like a business.' We must root out
corruption and implement accountability in our Federal Workforce!"
Criticism of Bureaucratic Obstruction and Speed of Dismissals
Donald Trump and his allies have long accused career government officials of impeding or delaying the president's policies through bureaucracy.
They argue that these officials act on their own agendas rather than adhering to the president's directives. Under the new rule, federal workers who do not align with the president's policies could be swiftly removed, bypassing the lengthy process that usually takes six months to a year before appeals.
According to an OPM fact sheet, the new rule will allow for quicker dismissal of individuals "who put their own interests ahead of the American people's."
Statement from OPM on Accountability and Exemptions
Chuck Ezell, Acting Director of OPM, supported the rule, saying, "Policy-making federal employees have a tremendous amount of influence over our laws and our lives. Such employees must be held to the highest standards of conduct. Americans deserve a government that is both effective and accountable."
However, the rule is not expected to affect federal employees who are directly involved in implementing policy, such as law enforcement agents.
The policy clarifies that while federal employees do not need to share the president's political views, they must "faithfully implement the law and the administration's policies."
Public Reaction
Reactions to Donald Trump's new initiative have sparked a wide range of opinions.
One user on X commented, "This move could drastically change the way our government operates. It's time for accountability, but we need to ensure that it's not just political purging."
Another responded, "This sounds like a dangerous power grab. Holding government employees accountable is important, but this could lead to partisan purges under the guise of accountability."
