Trump’s “Schedule G” Sparks Alarms Over Politicization of the Federal Workforce
- United for Equity
- Aug 7
- 3 min read
In July 2025, President Trump signed a new executive order creating Schedule G, a new hiring authority for the federal government that experts say could significantly expand political influence deep into the civil service. Unlike previous classifications, Schedule G is not a reclassification mechanism like the earlier and controversial Schedule F, but rather a new category of non-career political appointments that would expire at the end of a presidential administration.
Critics, including scholars, legal analysts, and good-government advocates, argue that Schedule G represents an aggressive attempt to undermine the traditional boundaries between political leadership and the merit-based federal workforce.
“This new Schedule G classification is another misguided attempt by the administration to further politicize the federal workforce,” said Max Stier, President of the Partnership for Public Service. “A president already has the power to make more than 4,000 political appointments, far more than other democracies, most of which number their political appointees in the 10s.”
What Does Schedule G Actually Do?
The executive order allows federal agencies to create new political positions—outside of traditional civil service rules—designed for individuals in “policy-making or policy-advocating” roles. These appointees would serve at the pleasure of the President, with no civil service protections, and their positions would automatically expire at the end of the administration. These are not converted positions like those under Schedule F; they are new, purpose-built roles.
Legal experts point out that the White House already had broad discretion to appoint loyalists through Schedule C. Creating an additional category raises suspicions about the intended reach of presidential control.
“The President can already make lots of appointments via the Schedule C route,” noted Donald Moynihan, professor at the University of Michigan’s Ford School of Public Policy. “This may be a way of pushing more appointments to the most senior levels of government, with a higher pay category beyond what Schedule Cs are typically paid.”
What Makes Schedule G Different from Schedule F?
Key Distinction | Schedule F / “Policy Career” | Schedule G |
Job Status | Career positions reclassified | |
Who is affected | Existing federal employees | |
Civil service protection | Retain career status, lose removal protections |
Notably, unlike Schedule C’s approximate 1,550-position limit, Schedule G has no statutory cap, giving the President wide latitude to insert new political personnel into the executive branch with minimal checks.
Roots in Project 2025
While Schedule G is not mentioned by name in Project 2025, the presidential transition playbook championed by Trump-aligned organizations, its intent is foreshadowed clearly. On page 52 of the document, Project 2025 calls for:
“...the new Administration [to] fill its ranks with political appointees,” and urges the need to “overcome the federal government’s obstructionist Human Resources departments.”
This ideological groundwork echoes the earlier Schedule F, introduced late in Trump’s first term, which sought to reclassify tens of thousands of career civil servants into politically vulnerable roles. President Biden rescinded Schedule F, but Trump revived it upon returning to office and has now gone further with Schedule G.
Risks to the Balance of Power and Bureaucratic Neutrality
Legal scholars are warning that Schedule G threatens the constitutional structure of a neutral civil service that serves the nation, not just the incumbent president.
“This certainly enhances a unitary presidency,” warned William Resh, Chair of the Department of Public Management and Policy at Georgia State University. “But it risks an executive branch that works only for the president and his parochial interests, rather than coequal constitutional branches and the constituencies they represent.”
What Can Congress Do?
While the executive order asserts new power, it is still subject to congressional appropriations. The order itself acknowledges that Schedule G implementation is “subject to the availability of appropriations”.
That means Congress can:
Withhold funding for Schedule G salaries
Cap or restrict Schedule G hiring through appropriations riders
Use oversight mechanisms to require reporting on Schedule G hiring patterns and decision-making
Conclusion
Schedule G represents a significant expansion of presidential control over federal hiring—and raises profound concerns about the long-term politicization of the civil service. Legal scholars question not only the necessity of this new category but also its potential to circumvent democratic checks on presidential power.
As federal agencies prepare to implement this executive order, all eyes turn to Congress and the courts to determine whether this new policy will stand—and what it means for the future of a nonpartisan federal workforce.
