Analysis by WorldTribune Staff, March 4, 2026 Real World News
As expansive as the Swamp is, can it really be drained?
The second Trump Administration is giving it a shot.
In 2025, President Donald Trump lopped 386,826 workers off the federal payroll, according to government data published on Wednesday.
In early 2025, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) directed agencies to fire tens of thousands of probationary employees. A federal judge ruled these mass firings were illegal, but the Supreme Court blocked an order to reinstate them.
The Trump team says it has more draining to do this year.
A new “Schedule Policy/Career” designation, finalized on Feb. 5, 2026, allows agencies to reclassify up to 50,000 career employees (roughly 2% of the workforce) into a category where they can be swiftly removed for “subversion of presidential directives.”
A new proposal dubbed “Focus on Performance/Tenure” aims to remove seniority shields during layoffs, allowing agencies to prioritize performance ratings and expedite reductions in force (RIF).
Meanwhile, the Trump 2.o edition of hope and change continues:
The Department of Education hung large banners of American “heroes” on its building in Washington D.C. on Sunday, including Ben Franklin, Martin Luther King Jr., Catharine Beecher and Charlie Kirk.
In a video posted to social media by Education Sec. Linda McMahon, the banners… pic.twitter.com/Ota3BgiVYJ
— CBS News (@CBSNews) March 2, 2026
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