Trump Admin Prioritizes ‘Patriotic Loyalty’ in Federal Hiring/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The Trump administration has unveiled a sweeping federal hiring overhaul. Applicants must now write essays affirming support for Trump’s priorities. Critics say the plan imposes loyalty tests and weakens merit-based hiring.
Trump’s Federal Hiring Overhaul: Quick Looks
- Patriotism Required for Federal Jobs: New rules mandate job applicants show alignment with Trump’s policy agenda.
- Essay-Based Vetting Introduced: Candidates must write short essays proving support for constitutional values and administration priorities.
- ‘Elite University’ Bias Rejected: Recruitment efforts shift toward faith-based, military, and technical communities.
- No DEI in Hiring: Racial and identity-based hiring metrics eliminated under new directives.
- Hiring Targets Slashed: Agencies instructed to hire within 80 days and reduce workforce.
- Loyalty Expectations for Executives: SES leaders must support Trump or risk removal.
- New Leadership Training Program: Aspiring executives to undergo a Trump-aligned, Constitution-based course.
- Critics Sound Alarm: Experts warn of politicization, recruitment hurdles, and loss of talent.
Trump Admin Prioritizes ‘Patriotic Loyalty’ in Federal Hiring
Deep Look
Trump Orders Federal Jobs Reserved for ‘Patriotic Americans’ Backing His Agenda
President Donald Trump has rolled out a sweeping overhaul of federal hiring procedures aimed at reshaping the civil service with workers explicitly loyal to his policies. Under the new “merit hiring plan”, the administration mandates that all new federal job applicants demonstrate their patriotism and support for Trump’s vision through personal essay questions.
Announced through a memo issued by the White House and Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the plan dramatically shifts the government’s recruitment focus from experience and credentials to ideological alignment with the Trump administration.
Essays Now Required for Federal Applicants
- Their commitment to the Constitution
- Plans to implement Trump’s executive orders
- How they will increase government efficiency
- Their work ethic and loyalty to policy goals
The administration said the changes are needed to eliminate the hiring of what it called “unfit, unskilled bureaucrats” and ensure only “talented, capable, and patriotic Americans” join the federal workforce.
The memo, co-authored by Vince Haley, assistant to the president for domestic policy, and Charles Ezell, acting OPM director, states that the previous hiring process was corrupted by “discriminatory equity quotas” and failed to serve national interests.
Critics Call It a Loyalty Test
Experts and public service advocates are raising red flags over the potential consequences of requiring ideological alignment for public jobs.
“It’s foolish,” said Paul Light, professor emeritus at New York University. “It’s hard enough to get talent these days.”
“This adds a hurdle that has nothing to do with performance,” added Jenny Mattingley of the Partnership for Public Service.
She argued that many federal employees — such as park rangers, food safety inspectors, and firefighters — are nonpartisan by design and shouldn’t be forced to pledge political loyalty.
New Recruiting Focus: Non-Elite Institutions
The administration says it will pivot away from elite universities, favoring recruitment from:
- State and land-grant universities
- Religious and faith-based colleges
- Community colleges and trade schools
- Military and veterans’ groups
- 4-H youth programs, law enforcement circles, and homeschool networks
By targeting these communities, the administration says it will diversify recruitment and rebuild “civic-mindedness.”
End of Diversity Metrics
The plan also bans racial and gender quotas in hiring, recruitment, and promotions. Agencies are directed to stop using demographic statistics like race, sex, ethnicity, and national origin when making staffing decisions.
The memo explicitly orders agencies to halt sharing such demographic data and eliminate all forms of “underrepresentation” analysis in hiring.
Speeding Up the Process
Federal agencies are also under a directive to complete all hiring actions within 80 days, aligning with Trump’s broader objective to shrink the federal workforce and boost administrative efficiency.
Overhaul of Senior Executive Service Hiring
On the same day, the administration released another memo targeting the Senior Executive Service (SES) — the top career ranks of the federal bureaucracy.
The memo criticizes the SES for being a closed, insular group with a history of opposing presidential directives. It accuses past SES hires of:
- Leaking internal documents
- Violating Americans’ constitutional rights
- Resisting implementation of Trump policies
- Performing their duties negligently
Trump’s Executive Training Academy
To rebuild the SES pipeline, the Office of Personnel Management will launch a fee-based, 80-hour “Aspiring Executive Development Program.” This training will be rooted in:
- The Constitution and U.S. founding ideals
- Trump’s executive orders
- Leadership, results-based management, and policy execution
The memo asserts that this leadership program will develop future federal executives who are “aligned with the president’s vision and capable of delivering results.”
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