President Donald Trump signs one of over 100 executive orders at the Oval Office of the White House, January 20, 2025. Image: White House handout
By: FEDweek StaffAmong President Trump’s early initiatives regarding the federal workforce is an order calling on OPM, OMB and the DOGE commission to craft within four months a plan “that brings to the federal workforce only highly skilled Americans dedicated to the furtherance of American ideals, values, and interests.”
That is to “prioritize recruitment of individuals committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution; and prevent the hiring of individuals based on their race, sex, or religion, and prevent the hiring of individuals who are unwilling to defend the Constitution or to faithfully serve the Executive Branch,” it says.
Other features are to include compliance with the Chance to Compete Act—which downplays the role of educational credentials in qualifications standards—a reduction in the time-to-hire goal to 80 days; improved communication with candidates to let them know where they stand in the process; using technology to identify “trends, gaps, and opportunities in hiring, as well as leveraging digital platforms to improve candidate engagement.”
A separate order is directed toward holding SES members “properly accountable to the President and the American people . . . For instance, SES officials who engage in unauthorized disclosure of Executive Branch deliberations, violate the constitutional rights of Americans, refuse to implement policy priorities, or perform their duties inefficiently or negligently should be held accountable,” it says.
It orders OPM and OMB to issue SES performance plans that require agencies to “reassign agency SES members to ensure their knowledge, skills, abilities, and mission assignments are optimally aligned to implement my agenda.”
Agencies further are to terminate their existing executive resources boards and “assign senior noncareer officials to chair and serve on the board as a majority alongside career members”; and terminate their existing performance review boards “and re-constitute membership with individuals committed to full enforcement of SES performance evaluations that promote and assure an SES of the highest caliber.”
Also revoked were several equity-related directives from the Biden administration, notably one from June 2021 requiring agencies to review their diversity, equity, inclusiveness and accessibility in hiring and other personnel programs, appoint responsible officials and produce strategic plans to promote those considerations, and report annually. Agencies are to terminate all related “mandates, policies, programs, preferences, and activities in the Federal Government, under whatever name they appear.”
That action also extended to several Biden orders, since largely suspended, relating to vaccination and other workplace policies dating to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Congress Leaving Key Policy, Funding Decisions to the Fall
Guidance on ‘Schedule G’ Stresses Political Oversight
OPM Tells Agencies to Allow ‘Religious Expression’ in Federal Workplace
Agency RIFs, Reorganizations Starting to Take Shape
Order Formally Launches ‘Schedule Policy/Career,’ Adds Category of Appointees
Court Allows Order against Unions to Remain, but Congress Eyes Stepping In
See also,
Top 10 Provisions in the Big Beautiful Bill of Interest to Federal Employees
A Pre-RIF Checklist for Every Federal Employee, From a Federal Employment Attorney
Work Longer or Take the FERS Supplement Now: Which is Better?
Doubling Your TSP (C Fund vs G Fund)
