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Supporters of Trump’s agency cuts still favor nonpartisan federal workforce, survey shows

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2 weeks ago

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The Trump administration has taken a multi-pronged approach to overhauling the civil service — attempting to open the doors more political appointees, while also making it easier to remove career federal employees from their jobs. But those workforce changes don’t appear to resonate positively with many Americans, including those who are supportive of the administration’s federal workforce cuts more broadly.

In a recent survey, the Partnership for Public Service found that among individuals who approve of the Trump administration’s cuts to federal agencies, there is little support for a politicized federal workforce. The survey results showed that 83% of supporters of the Trump administration’s cuts agreed that having an expert and non-political federal workforce was “critical” to the country’s wellbeing.

Paul Hitlin, the Partnership’s senior research manager, said those results indicate that any support for agency cuts and employee layoffs instead come from a different desire.

“It really is about cutting spending, and certainly waste and fraud,” Hitlin said Tuesday during a virtual event hosted by the Partnership. “It’s not about putting in a civil service that is political in nature.”

Supporters of the administration’s cuts were also more opposed to the idea of a politicized federal workforce than those who were against the cuts. For instance, 76% of supporters of the administration’s cuts said civil servants should be “apolitical,” while 70% of those opposed to the cuts answered the same way.

Results from 2025 survey on the public’s perception of the Trump administration’s federal workforce cuts. (Source: Partnership for Public Service)

Still, the Trump administration has been pressing forward with significant changes in the structure of the civil service. Most recently, President Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing a new class of federal employment, called Schedule G. The classification is reserved for political appointments who focus specifically on policy-making or policy-advocating work.

Earlier this year, Trump also revived his previous Schedule F executive order — now called Schedule Policy/Career — which aims to reclassify career federal employees to strip their civil service protections and make them easier for agencies to fire.

The White House has said its efforts will make the federal workforce more accountable and give agencies more flexibility in deciding who to retain or remove from their jobs. But many organizations, including the Partnership, have spoken out against the administration’s policies and warned they will lead to a politicization of the non-partisan federal workforce.

“You do not see a lot of support for that, even among people who are in favor of the administration’s cuts,” Hitlin said.

The Partnership’s survey also showed positive public perceptions of the federal workforce, despite growing rhetoric from the Trump administration criticizing the career civil service and promising to “drain the swamp.” In the results, 51% of respondents said they opposed the recent federal workforce layoffs, while 37% supported the layoffs and 12% were unsure.

“We also found in some of our focus groups that there was a lot of uncertainty, even among people who support the cuts,” Hitlin said. “And there’s a large amount of people who said that they thought there might be some hiccups and problems, but they still thought [the cuts were] worth it overall.”

Over the last several years, the Partnership has also regularly published polling results that show public trust in government continues to decline. In 2024, 23% of Americans said they trusted the federal government — an 11% decrease since 2022. But the Partnership’s research has also shown that the public trusts career civil servants themselves more than the federal government as a whole.

“By focusing on the elements of the government that may not receive as much attention as Congress —such as civil servants and the missions of federal agencies — an opportunity exists to increase the public’s trust,” the Partnership has said.

More recently, supporters of the Trump administration’s federal workforce overhauls remain in the minority, according to the Partnership’s latest survey results. Over 50% of survey respondents said they believed the cuts would hurt the U.S. economy, make Americans less safe and make their communities worse.

survey results chart on federal workforceResults from 2025 survey on the public’s perception of the Trump administration’s federal workforce cuts. (Source: Partnership for Public Service)

When asked to select their top three concerns about the cuts, most survey respondents said they were worried about the government’s ability to deliver benefits like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

“Other things like disease research and prevention, food safety and veterans’ health care and benefits — a lot of people selected those as well,” Hitlin said. “But by far, delivery of benefits was the top concern.”

In its latest survey results, the Partnership also found that roughly one-third of respondents said they or someone they know had been personally impacted by the administration’s cuts to agencies.

“This isn’t just an ‘inside the beltway’ story,” Hitlin said. “Large numbers of people are making connections about how these cuts are affecting things around them and seeing that. And over time, that number may grow.”

The post Supporters of Trump’s agency cuts still favor nonpartisan federal workforce, survey shows first appeared on Federal News Network.

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GOP Senator John Thune Quietly BLOCKS Trump Recess Appointments with Sneaky Procedural Maneuver — Launches Series of Pro Forma Sessions to Keep Senate in Fake “Session” During August Recess

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22 hours ago

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August 3, 2025

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Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R‑SD) has unveiled a procedural scheme to block President Donald Trump from making any critical appointments during the August recess, effectively aiding the Democrats’ obstructionist agenda.

Under the U.S. Constitution, the president can make “recess appointments,” temporary appointments to federal positions, if the Senate is in recess and not conducting business. These appointments don’t require immediate Senate confirmation and can last until the end of the next session of Congress.

But there’s a loophole: if the Senate holds pro forma sessions, very short, symbolic meetings where no actual business is conducted, then technically, the Senate is still in session. That means the president cannot legally make recess appointments during that time.

John Thune has quietly secured unanimous‑consent for a paper‑thin Senate schedule through the Trump appointee confirmation deadline, ensuring only pro forma sessions on five key dates in early August.

Under the agreement, the chamber will adjourn after today’s business and reconvene without conducting any votes or business on:

  • Tue, Aug 5 – 1:00 p.m.
  • Fri, Aug 8 – 1:05 p.m.
  • Tue, Aug 12 – 8:00 a.m.
  • Fri, Aug 15 – 10:15 a.m.
  • Tue, Aug 19 – 10:00 a.m.
  • Fri, Aug 22 – 9:00 a.m.
  • Tue, Aug 26 – 12:00 p.m.
  • Fri, Aug 29 – 7:00 a.m.

WATCH:

Thune’s pro forma blueprint comes amid mounting pressure from Donald Trump, who has demanded the Senate remain open until all 150+ administration nominees are confirmed.

Under the Recess Appointments Clause, a president may only install nominees without Senate approval if both chambers are in formal recess for at least 10 days. By convening the Senate just long enough every few days, Thune blocks the possibility of Trump making unilateral appointees.

The Senate went into its August recess without confirming all of Trump’s pending judicial and district‑level appointments.

By the time lawmakers left town on Saturday evening, no deal had been reached to move dozens of Trump’s nominees, including U.S. district court picks, through final floor votes.

Only a small handful of nominees (such as Jeanine Pirro to be U.S. Attorney in D.C.) had advanced. Otherwise, nominees remained stalled in committees or waiting for cloture roll‑calls on the executive calendar.

Roughly 150–160 executive and judicial nominations, including over a dozen district court judges and U.S. attorney nominations, remained scheduled but unconfirmed.

The post GOP Senator John Thune Quietly BLOCKS Trump Recess Appointments with Sneaky Procedural Maneuver — Launches Series of Pro Forma Sessions to Keep Senate in Fake “Session” During August Recess appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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‘That’s What I Call Results!’: Trump Admin Saves Jobs, Kicks 1500 Non-English-Speaking Truckers Off the Road

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22 hours ago

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August 3, 2025

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Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy revealed that there have been about 1,500 truck drivers who do not speak English taken off the roads as part of a push to ensure foreign truck drivers are not causing accidents.

Back in 2016, the Obama administration stopped enforcing English proficiency requirements for truckers, according to a report from The Daily Signal.

But in May, Duffy issued a guidance making clear that truck drivers who cannot demonstrate a proficiency in English cannot drive.

The 1,500 drivers were taken off the roads within the first 3o days of the rules once more being enforced, according to The Daily Signal.

“Since I took action to enforce language proficiency requirements for truckers, our state partners have put roughly 1,500 unqualified drivers out of service. That’s what I call results!” Duffy posted on X.

“If you can’t read or speak our national language — ENGLISH — we won’t let your truck endanger the driving public.”

He added, “America First = Safety First.”

Duffy’s concerns were far from unfounded.

In January, there was a truck driver involved in a fatal crash that had to use a language interpreter for the post-crash investigation, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Another incident from 2019 involved a truck driver who could not proficiently speak English speeding through signs that warned of steep grades and dangerous curves, all at more than 100 miles per hour.

Four people died in that crash, per the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

President Donald Trump had likewise insisted with an April executive order that the move centered on public safety.

“They should be able to read and understand traffic signs, communicate with traffic safety, border patrol, agricultural checkpoints, and cargo weight-limit station officers,” the order said of truck drivers.

They also “need to provide feedback to their employers and customers and receive related directions in English,” a position the order called “common sense.”

“It is the policy of my Administration to support America’s truckers and safeguard our roadways by enforcing the commonsense English-language requirement for commercial motor vehicle drivers and removing needless regulatory burdens that undermine the working conditions of America’s truck drivers,” the notice added.

“This order will help ensure a safe, secure, and efficient motor carrier industry.”

This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.

The post ‘That’s What I Call Results!’: Trump Admin Saves Jobs, Kicks 1500 Non-English-Speaking Truckers Off the Road appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Slovenia Imposes Arms Embargo on Israel, Citing Gaza Conflict

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22 hours ago

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August 3, 2025

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via Wikimedia Commons

Slovenia has imposed an arms embargo on Israel, banning the export, import, and transit of weapons to and from the country.

This decision was announced by Prime Minister Robert Golob following a government session on July 31, 2025.

Slovenia claims to be the first European Union member to take such a step, citing the EU’s inability to act due to internal disagreements.

The government stated that no permits for military exports to Israel have been issued since October 2023, when the conflict in Gaza began.

Officials emphasized that the embargo is an independent measure to address the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Slovenia has repeatedly called for a ceasefire and increased aid deliveries to the region.

In early July 2025, Slovenia declared two Israeli ministers, Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, persona non grata, barring them from entry.

This action was based on their public statements regarding the conflict. Earlier, in June 2024, Slovenia recognized Palestinian statehood, joining countries like Ireland, Norway, and Spain in this move.

The conflict in Gaza started after the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on Israeli territory, which resulted in over 1,200 deaths and the taking of hostages.

Israel responded with a military operation aimed at dismantling Hamas infrastructure. Reports from Gaza’s health ministry indicate significant casualties, with ongoing international efforts to negotiate truces and provide aid.

Several other nations have taken similar diplomatic steps, including France, Britain, and Canada announcing potential recognition of a Palestinian state. Australia has also indicated that recognizing Palestinian statehood is under consideration.

Israel has criticized these declarations, arguing they could reward Hamas for its actions.

Israeli officials dismissed Slovenia’s embargo as insignificant, noting that Israel does not procure any defense materials from Slovenia.

An unnamed official stated that the country buys nothing from Slovenia, not even minor items.

Within the EU, there is growing pressure for measures against Israel, with Sweden and the Netherlands advocating for suspending parts of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.

The European Commission has proposed limiting Israel’s participation in the Horizon research program, though Germany opposes such steps.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul expressed concerns about Israel’s potential diplomatic isolation during a visit to Jerusalem.

The United States remains a key ally to Israel, with President Donald Trump warning that recognizing Palestinian statehood might benefit Hamas.

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff recently met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to advance Gaza truce talks. These efforts aim to address the humanitarian crisis and secure a ceasefire.

The post Slovenia Imposes Arms Embargo on Israel, Citing Gaza Conflict appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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