President-elect Donald Trump is poised to seize more control of the federal government than any modern president before him when he takes office on Monday, two sources say, adding that he and his allies are poised to seize control of the federal government when he takes office on Monday, adding that he and his allies are in control of the “deep state.” Plans are underway to dismantle what is called the . Familiar with transition discussions.
The effort, which could be launched as early as Trump’s first day in office, would strip job protections from an estimated 50,000 career federal employees and allow hand-picked loyalist appointees to take over, one of the people said. A presidential order was reportedly issued to allow a successor.
The Trump administration will work to fill thousands of political appointments across the government as quickly as possible, another source told Reuters.
The goal is to inject political supporters deeper into the workings of government than perhaps any other recent president.
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In a harbinger of what’s to come, the Trump campaign has called for the resignation of three senior career diplomats who oversee the U.S. State Department’s staff and internal coordination, Reuters reported this week.
Trump’s allies have accused the Justice Department, Education Department and other agencies of slow progress and sabotaging Trump’s policies during his first term in the White House, saying they are disloyal. He is blaming the bureaucrats who have taken this as such.
Nearly a dozen of President Trump’s top appointees in his second term have either been specifically tasked with overhauling the federal workforce or have no interest in that plan, according to personnel announcements and media interviews reviewed by Reuters. has expressed support.
Russell Vought, who was nominated by President Trump to return as Director of the Office of Management and Budget, played a key role in developing an early version of the reclassification order, known as Schedule F, as President Trump leaves office in 2020. .
The executive order, reinstated on Schedule F, will allow agency employees to reclassify their positions from career posts to political appointments, one of the people familiar with the transition plan said.
That would allow agencies to fire and replace mid-career employees without cause.
Vought will be assisted by Sergio Gore, who was nominated to be White House personnel director during President Trump’s second term.
firing line
Others tasked with rooting out the “deep state” include attorney general candidate Pam Bondi, next FBI director candidate Kash Patel, secretary of state candidate Marco Rubio, and national security adviser Mike Walz. , education candidates Linda McMahon, Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. , a Reuters review reveals who will lead the Trump administration’s government efficiency efforts.
In response to questions, President Trump’s transition team did not provide details about the timeline for the planned reorganization, which could take months due to the federal rule-making process.
“The Trump Administration will have a home for government employees who are committed to protecting the rights of Americans, putting America first, and getting the most out of the tax dollars of working men and women,” said Press Secretary Brian Hughes. It will happen,” he said.
Critics and unions representing federal employees say there is no “deep state” and that President Trump and his allies are trafficking in conspiracy theories to justify their executive branch power grab. claims.
James Eisenman, a lawyer and expert on federal workforce policy, said in an interview that President Trump’s perception that most government employees have an ideological agenda is wrong, and that under current law, It pointed out that workers who do not perform well or are disobedient may be fired.
He said Schedule F creates a culture of silence and fear, which can affect work performance.
“People are going to be afraid to speak up or even suggest anything helpful for fear of being fired,” Eisenman said. “It’s not easy to get people to do something when they’re afraid.”
Steve Lenkert, executive director of the National Federation of Federal Workers, said in an interview that the new classification is intended to create a “secret police” within the federal government.
“The incoming administration has acknowledged that it intends to use Schedule F to impose professional or political loyalty tests on professional employees and eliminate undesirable employees,” he said. .
Hughes, Trump’s transition press secretary, declined to answer questions about what role individual candidates would play in implementing Trump’s policies or about the “secret police” allegations.
find target
At Wednesday’s Senate confirmation hearing, Vought and Bondi expressed support for the policies behind Schedule F.
Mr. Vought testified that he believed parts of the federal government had been “weaponized.”
He did not respond to questions about whether he had advised President Trump to make mass layoffs, but said the reclassification of career employees would allow the president to fill policy-making roles that are “responsive to the president’s views and policies.” He said he could definitely secure it.
Mr. Bondi said at the hearing that special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation of Mr. Trump was evidence of partisanship within the Justice Department.
She vowed not to use the department to target people based on politics, but avoided direct questions about investigating President Trump’s political opponents.
The Biden Justice Department has long denied that it pursued a criminal case against Trump for political reasons. He did not respond to a request for comment Friday.
The process of identifying federal officials who may be at odds with the incoming administration has already begun.
In December, the American Accountability Foundation, which is supported by the conservative Heritage Foundation, sent a letter to Pentagon nominee Pete Hegseth, accusing him of placing too much emphasis on diversity and inclusion efforts. He has named 20 likely leaders across the U.S. military.
Outgoing Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin defended these efforts, saying a diverse military reflects America’s diversity.
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The Department of Defense referred a request for comment to Trump’s transition team.
The American Accountability Foundation also published on its website a list of “Top 10 Targets” of career Department of Homeland Security and Justice Department officials who it says are resisting increased border security.
The group’s spokeswoman Itz Friedman said more names would be added in the future.
