Restoring Accountability: Trump Establishes Schedule Policy/Career Classification

In a landmark move to “drain the swamp” and enhance government performance, President Donald J. Trump’s Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has proposed a new Schedule Policy/Career category. This initiative, stemming from the Executive Action “Restoring Accountability to Policy-Influencing Positions Within the Federal Workforce,” aims to empower federal agencies to swiftly address poor performance and misconduct among policy-influencing employees—strengthening federal workforce accountability.

What Is the Schedule Policy/Career Classification?

• At‑Will Status: Designated policy‑making and policy‑advocating employees will serve as at‑will federal employees.
• Streamlined Removal: Agencies can remove individuals for misconduct, poor performance, or subversion of Presidential directives without lengthy appeals.
• Merit‑Based Hiring: Positions remain career roles filled through existing nonpartisan, competitive processes—preserving professional standards.
• Scope: Line employees like Border Patrol agents and inspectors are excluded; focus is on those shaping or influencing policy.

Why Change Was Needed: Fixing a Broken System

• Lengthy Removal Timelines: It can take 6–12 months to remove poor performers, even before appeals.
• Lack of Confidence: Only 40% of federal managers feel empowered to remove serious misconduct, and just 25% believe they can dismiss underperformers.
• Unchecked Misconduct: Audits—like the recent FDIC review—revealed zero removals for serious harassment, illustrating systemic failure.
• Policy Obstruction: Surveys found many senior employees would ignore lawful Presidential orders they disagree with, undermining democracy.

How the New Rule Will Work

1. OPM Rulemaking: OPM’s proposed amendment to civil service regulations establishes the Schedule Policy/Career framework.
2. Subsequent Executive Order: A follow‑on Executive Order will officially designate which positions shift into the new schedule.
3. Estimated Impact: Approximately 50,000 positions—around 2% of the federal workforce—will transition to this category.
4. Protections Retained: Employees maintain competitive status and are not required to politically support the President—only to faithfully execute the law and administration policies.

Political Context: Reversing the Status Quo

• Draining the Deep State: This effort revives President Trump’s first‑term “Schedule F” classification, reversed by the Biden Administration.
• Campaign Promise Fulfilled: Trump pledged on the campaign trail to reinstate stronger accountability measures and has acted on Day One.
• Broader Reform Agenda: By targeting policy‑influencing roles, the Administration seeks to ensure elected officials can implement their mandates effectively—free from career‑bureaucrat obstruction.

What It Means for America

• Enhanced Efficiency: Faster removals of underperformers will improve agency responsiveness and public trust.
• Stronger Leadership: Agency heads gain the tools to enforce high standards and deter corruption.
• Safeguarding Democracy: Clear accountability mechanisms reinforce the principle that career employees serve the people, not personal agendas.

President Trump’s new federal employee category marks a decisive step toward restoring accountability in Washington and reaffirming that no one—regardless of tenure—stands above performance or the rule of law.

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