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Trump’s Executive Order Targets Key Federal Programs
On Wednesday, President Trump enacted an executive order that seeks to dismantle the Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) program, federal executive boards, and potentially numerous advisory councils across the federal government.
The PMF program, established under President Carter in 1977, serves as an essential channel for graduate students considering careers in public service. Similarly, the 26 federal executive boards, created by President Kennedy in 1961, facilitate coordination and collaboration among agencies outside Washington, D.C., enhancing their engagement with local communities.
In addition to abolishing the PMF and federal executive boards, Trump’s executive order, titled Commencing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy, instructs federal agencies to identify additional advisory councils to be disbanded, labeling them as “unnecessary.”
“In my administration, we aim to significantly shrink the federal government while boosting its accountability to the public,” Trump stated. “This order initiates a reduction of federal bureaucratic elements deemed unnecessary. By streamlining government operations, we aim to curtail waste, combat inflation, and foster American freedom and innovation.”
However, recent incidents, including a scandal involving improper payments by the Social Security Administration, have highlighted potential negative consequences of workforce disinvestment. Such cuts have led to overlooked overpayments, suggesting diminished oversight actually contributes to greater waste.
According to Don Kettl, professor emeritus at the University of Maryland and former dean of its School of Public Policy, the termination of the PMF program, alongside last week’s closure of the Federal Executive Institute, appears to be a strategic move to hinder any potential future administration from effectively rebuilding the federal capacity necessary for serving citizens.
“Historically, military tactics have included salting the earth to prevent agricultural recovery for those who survived conflict,” Kettl remarked. “This approach seems evident here; there’s an effort to obliterate opportunities for recruiting federal employees and to dissuade prospective applicants.”
While the work of federal executive boards typically occurs behind the scenes, their role is vital for fostering inter-agency collaboration aimed at improving service delivery to the public, especially in crisis situations, as pointed out by Kettl.
He reflected on the significance of these boards in the aftermath of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. “The attack not only resulted in tragic loss of life but also severely disrupted federal operations in that area, including the FBI’s investigation efforts. The Federal Executive Board played a crucial role in navigating the restoration of government services and operations in the wake of that tragedy,” he explained.
In a statement released Thursday, Max Stier, President and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service, criticized the decision to end the PMF program, asserting that it runs counter to the administration’s professed goals of curbing waste and inefficiency.
“Dismantling the Presidential Management Fellows program strips away a valuable avenue for cultivating young talent and is detrimental to our government,” Stier stated. “Eliminating such a competitive, merit-based program that has nurtured exceptional government leaders for over four decades sends a negative message to future public servants and undermines efforts to create a more effective and innovative government. With only about 7% of the federal workforce under the age of 30, this decision risks further widening existing talent and skill gaps, the repercussions of which will be felt for years ahead.”
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