Political Appointees
Calls for IG probe of Reflecting Pool renovation come amid questions over watchdog's independence
The former inspector general at Interior and a senior House lawmaker criticized the apparent appointment of a Project 2025 co-author at the watchdog office.
CDC gets a new chief as agency faces questions over its direction
The Senate narrowly confirmed Dr. Erica Schwartz to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention following a confirmation fight centered on vaccines and the future of federal public health policy.
Blanche clears key hurdle in bid to lead Justice Department
A pair of Republican senators moved the acting attorney general's nomination forward after securing assurances about a controversial Trump-backed “anti-weaponization” fund.
CDC nominee clears key Senate hurdle despite vaccine scrutiny
Dr. Erica Schwartz's nomination now heads to the full Senate after lawmakers pressed her on how she would handle political influence over the agency.
DOJ nominee faces confirmation hurdle over agency commitments
Todd Blanche’s confirmation faces a potential delay as senators seek written guarantees limiting Trump’s anti-weaponization fund and the scope of audit protections included in a Justice Department settlement agreement.
Attorney general nomination faces another week of scrutiny
The postponed Judiciary Committee vote gives senators more time to scrutinize Todd Blanche's record and leaves questions about key Republican support unresolved.
USPS nominations test the future of bipartisan boards
Federal law requires that no more than five members of USPS’ Board of Governors be from the same political party. The Trump administration has only submitted Republican nominees so far.
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Trump appointees confirmed by the Senate are exiting their jobs in record numbers, report finds
The Partnership for Public Service also reported that the president is making a historically low number of nominations.
Federal oversight faces ‘structural conflict’ as political appointees enter IG offices
The 16 agencies that now have non-Senate-confirmed political staffers for the first time in 15 years include the IRS and Forest Service, according to a new report.
Labor Secretary Chavez-DeRemer to step down amid misconduct allegations
The Labor Department’s inspector general is investigating claims involving inappropriate messages to staff and misuse of funds, as the White House names Keith Sonderling acting secretary.
As the number of political appointees surge and career SES ranks shrink, one nonprofit warns of ‘institutional consequences’
The Trump administration has sought to exert more political influence over the Senior Executive Service, which are the highest-ranking career civil servants.
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Mullin confirmed to lead DHS as shutdown drags on and 100,000 employees remain unpaid
Trump's new DHS chief promises some reforms and renewed staffing efforts.
Trump's new DHS nominee promises some changes, adequate staffing amid shutdown-induced departures
DHS will be "adequately staffed" after the shutdown, Markwayne Mullin says, though he warns the ongoing shutdown could have significant mission impacts.
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Noem fired from DHS amid agency shutdown, Trump taps Mullin as successor
The controversial Homeland Security leader will end her tenure amid a budget shutdown of her agency and following bipartisan criticism in both houses of Congress.
Critics sound alarm over HHS plans to restructure evaluation office
A coalition of nonprofits, research institutions, child welfare advocates and more note that plans to push research out of the Administration for Children and Families and into the purview of political appointees jeopardize the credibility of that work.
Unions oppose a Trump labor nominee over lack of experience, hostility toward bargaining
Conservative lawyer Charlton Allen has no prior experience in labor-management relations, but said he opposed collective bargaining rights for state workers in North Carolina as a political candidate in 2012.
New Senate bill would bar administration officials from serving as an inspector general
Most IGs confirmed since the start of President Donald Trump’s second term have experience working in his administration.
‘Harder days ahead in 2026’: Good government group predicts increased political interference in the civil service in Trump’s second year
A new analysis from the Partnership for Public Service looks at the effects, so far, of the Trump administration’s reforms to the federal workforce and what they could portend.
200 DOJ employees who left under Trump say admin is making ‘coordinated effort’ to undermine career staff
The Justice Department is actively pushing out career employees working on civil rights, they say.
Democrats argue Ingrassia should be removed from government following nomination withdrawal
While no longer the special counsel nominee, Paul Ingrassia is now a senior official at the General Services Administration.
