The Trump administration is enacting a new policy that will increase the ability to dismiss federal employees and convert more positions into politically appointed roles tied to the president. The Office of Personnel Management has introduced a rule invoking “Schedule F,” which reclassifies federal workers as political appointees who can be hired or fired based on their loyalty to the president. Trump emphasized the importance of government workers aligning with the president’s policy interests or facing termination, framing it as a necessary step to improve government efficiency.

This move builds upon an executive order issued by Trump at the beginning of his presidency, which Joe Biden reversed after winning the 2020 election. The policy shift reflects a key aspect of Project 2025, a conservative policy agenda aiming to increase executive branch control over the federal government and combat a perceived “deep state” resistance. While most federal employees are not politically appointed, this change could affect around 50,000 additional individuals, significantly expanding the scope of politically influenced positions within the government.

The Trump administration’s initiative to overhaul the federal workforce aligns with its broader efforts to remove dissenting voices and prioritize personnel who support Trump’s agenda. This latest rule marks a continuation of the administration’s ongoing campaign to reshape the federal government to better reflect the president’s priorities and ideology.