With a private sector background, Kupor’s nomination was in contrast to the two OPM directors who were confirmed in the first Trump administration. Image: Jacquelyn Martin/AP/Shutterstock
The Senate has confirmed as OPM director Scott Kupor, previously managing partner of the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (investors in SpaceX, xAI and with ties to DOGE), and former chairman of the National Venture Capital Association, among other executive positions in the private sector.
The vote fell largely along party lines, as it had with Biden administration nominee Kiran Ahuja in 2021 when the Senate was under Democratic control. She held the position for most of that administration before resigning in the spring of 2024.
With a private sector background, Kupor’s nomination was in contrast to the two OPM directors who were confirmed in the first Trump administration: Jeff Tien Han Pon, who had held senior human resources positions inside and outside of government, and the Dale Cabaniss, who had been a member and chair of the FLRA.
However, for most of that term the position was filled on an acting basis. Both resigned after only about six months, largely due to their resistance to that administration’s plan to abolish the OPM and shift its policy functions into OMB and its operational functions into GSA.
The current administration has not revived that plan, although it has downsized OPM. The IG’s office there recently warned, for example, that short-staffing in the function that operates the PSHB health insurance program has left that program vulnerable to a systems failure that could leave it unable to process enrollment changes in the open season that will start in November.
Under acting leadership to date, OPM has initiated a host of White House-directed policy changes in areas including offsite work, hiring, performance evaluation, discipline and more. It also has issued guidance on carrying out the deferred resignation program and the executive order—recently allowed to proceed by the U.S. Supreme Court—that is expected to result in RIFs at a score of agencies involving tens of thousands of employees.
Also expected soon is finalization of rules to carry out “Schedule Policy/Career,” the successor to the short-lived Schedule F of the first Trump administration.
Several other positions in agencies key to the federal workforce continue to be filled in an acting capacity, including the heads of the Office of Special Counsel and Office of Government Ethics. In addition, there is now a vacancy on the three-member FLRA following the expiration of a Democratic member’s term, and two vacancies on the three-member MSPB board—one following the expiration of a term and one due to the firing of a Democratic member who is challenging that firing in court.
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