How Trump Is Breaking Public Service

A bizarro rule means he can fire thousands of government workers.

Feb 16, 2026

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Don Moynihan is the J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Professor of Public Policy at the University of Michigan Ford School of Public Policy Subscribe to his Can We Still Govern? Substack.

*President Donald Trump holds a cabinet meeting, Thursday, January 29, 2026, in the Cabinet Room. | Official White House Photo by Molly Riley via Flickr*

The Office of Person…

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A guest post by

Don Moynihan

Guggenheim Fellow, Professor of Public Policy, Ford School, University of Michigan. Immigrant. Researches and teaches about state capacity, tech in government, administrative burdens, and politicization.