Staff Reports
President Joe Biden’s administration has unveiled their latest trick to safeguard bureaucrats from being axed by any potential future Trump administration. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has rolled out a rule that puts a shield in place to prevent federal employees from being stripped of their status and protections against their will. The rule aims to make it more cumbersome for any future president to streamline the process of firing federal workers, much to the chagrin of Republicans.
In a bid to make firing federal employees a tedious ordeal, OPM Director Kiran Ahuja expressed deep gratitude towards the career civil servants, stressing the importance of hiring and firing based on merit rather than political loyalty. As a vehement defender of the federal workforce, Ahuja lauded the critical services these employees provide to the nation, painting them as unsung heroes essential for national security, public health, and economic growth.
READ: White House Announces Plan To Protect Bureaucrats From Being Fired By New Trump Admin https://t.co/yNRVqPlcPB
— Dylan Housman (@Dylan_Housman) April 4, 2024
This move is seen as a direct response to an executive order signed by former President Donald Trump in 2020, which sought to ease the process of hiring and firing federal workers by stripping away certain protections. The executive order created a new category, “Schedule F,” which targeted bureaucrats with significant policy roles, making them easier to get rid of. The OPM rule directly quotes language from Trump’s executive order, reinforcing the importance of preserving civil service protections based on merit rather than political affiliations.
The final rule, expected to be published in the Federal Register, has stirred controversy among conservatives who view it as a way to entrench bureaucrats and hinder the potential for reform in the federal bureaucracy. Trump allies have hinted that revamping the federal workforce would be a priority in a second term, underscoring the importance of streamlining government operations. With federal employees predominantly supporting Democrats in terms of political donations, the battle to safeguard the status quo in federal agencies is heating up between the two political camps.
