The second Trump administration has had few bright spots, but one stands out: its effort to tame the federal bureaucracy.

Government performance systems often reward documentation, activity and procedural defensibility more than real-world impact.

Full news and analysis of the federal government layoffs under President Trump and their impact on the government, the US workforce and the economy.

Updated November 5, 2025 at 2:32 PM CST The federal government shutdown has dragged into another week, and Republicans and Democrats appear no closer to ending it. Many federal workers have missed ...