Taking bold action to finally drain the DC swamp, President Donald Trump has removed job protections for 50,000 federal employees by reclassifying them under Schedule F.
Now published in the Federal Register, the executive order will make it easier to fire unelected bureaucrats who obstruct America’s elected leadership or engage in corruption.
After reinstating his original 2020 executive order on Inauguration Day, the Trump administration has now officially begun reclassifying federal workers under the new “Schedule Policy/Career” designation, commonly known as Schedule F.
The change targets employees in policy-influencing roles, who will now become at-will workers.
This makes them easier to remove if they fail to advance presidential policies or perform their duties adequately.
“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,” said President Trump.
“This is common sense, and will allow the federal government to finally be ‘run like a business,'” he added.
The reclassification comes as part of the president’s ongoing battle against the “deep state.”
The term refers to career bureaucrats who have historically been able to undermine presidential directives while hiding behind extensive civil service protections.
Under the current system, removing a federal employee for poor performance can take between six months and a year before appeals even begin, which creates a culture of unaccountability throughout government agencies.
Federal employee surveys have consistently shown that workers themselves believe their agencies do not effectively address poor performance.
This lack of accountability allows corruption to flourish, as was seen at the FDIC, where misconduct was tolerated due to the difficult removal processes currently in place.
“Policy-making federal employees have a tremendous amount of influence over our laws and our lives,” said Office of Personnel Management Acting Director Chuck Ezell
“Such employees must be held to the highest standards of conduct. Americans deserve a government that is both effective and accountable,” he added.
Joe Biden had previously revoked President Trump’s 2020 Schedule F order, reinstating protections for bureaucrats who can slow-walk or outright obstruct presidential directives.
By restoring the executive order immediately upon returning to office, President Trump fulfilled his campaign promise to reform the federal workforce.
Federal agencies now have to submit lists of employees for potential reclassification. The change will not convert career positions to political appointments
Rather, it will create a new category of at-will workers exempt from standard adverse action and appeals procedures that have made it nearly impossible to remove underperforming employees.
In response, government unions are already planning legal challenges. The American Federation of Government Employees has announced plans to sue the administration, claiming the move undermines the civil service.
Since President Trump’s second term began, over 132,000 federal workers have been fired or pressured to take buyouts.
Schedule F represents a critical tool for ensuring that those who work for the American people actually serve their interests rather than pursuing personal or political agendas.
