TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that will make it easier to dismiss thousands of senior federal employees, advancing a long-standing effort to reshape the US civil service and strengthen presidential control over government agencies.
The order, signed on Wednesday, June 3, introduces a new employment category known as Schedule Policy/Career (P/C), which reclassifies certain career federal workers into positions that can be terminated more easily than under existing civil service protections.
As reported by The Hill, the White House estimates that about 8,000 federal employees will initially be affected by the policy. Most of them hold senior government positions and are involved in policy development and implementation across federal agencies.
According to a White House fact sheet, employees placed under Schedule P/C will be exempt from procedures that currently make dismissals for poor performance or misconduct difficult. The administration argues that some workers with significant policymaking responsibilities have remained in government roles despite poor performance or resistance to presidential priorities.
The White House maintains that the positions will remain career roles rather than political appointments. It said hiring and dismissal decisions under the new classification will not be based on political affiliation, and competitive hiring procedures will remain in place.
The move revives an initiative first introduced during Trump's first term under the name Schedule F. That effort was later rescinded before taking effect, but the administration finalized regulations establishing the new Schedule P/C category earlier this year.
The federal workforce overhaul is part of a broader campaign by Trump to increase accountability within government agencies. Administration officials argue that federal employees who influence policy should be willing to implement the priorities of elected leaders.
Speaking ahead of the announcement, Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor said the administration needed employees who were prepared to carry out lawful orders and policy directives. He said workers whose personal views interfere with implementing administration policies could now be removed more effectively.
The Guardian reported that the affected employees are largely among the highest-paid federal workers, with some earning close to US$200,000 annually. Senior administration officials noted that while only about 8,000 employees are currently targeted, the category could potentially be expanded in the future.
Labor unions and advocacy groups strongly criticized the executive order, warning that it weakens protections designed to preserve a professional and politically neutral civil service.
Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, described the measure as an attempt to remove due process protections from career public servants. He argued that employees could face dismissal for political reasons and that workers may become reluctant to report waste, fraud, abuse, or mismanagement for fear of retaliation.
Critics have also compared the policy to the 19th-century spoils system, when government jobs were often awarded based on political loyalty rather than merit. The modern merit-based civil service system was established in 1883 to replace that practice.
According to The Guardian, several labor unions and advocacy organizations have already challenged the policy in court, arguing that it undermines long-standing civil service protections. Democracy Forward, one of the groups involved in litigation against the administration, said the order could make it easier to dismiss experienced public servants without cause.
The executive order comes as the federal workforce has undergone significant changes. More than 348,000 federal employees have left government service since October 2024, amid broader efforts by the Trump administration to reduce spending and reorganize federal agencies.
Despite the criticism, the White House argues that the policy will help improve government performance by ensuring that senior officials responsible for shaping policy remain accountable and aligned with the administration's objectives.
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