The Trump administration has been working on the repeal for over a year. (AP Photo
The Trump administration has finalised changes to the US civil service system that could remove job protections for around 50,000 federal workers. The move gives US President Donald Trump wider powers to hire and fire career staff across government.
The new rules were issued by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and mark the biggest shift in civil service rules in more than 100 years.
Why the change is being made
The administration says the changes are meant to improve how the government works. OPM director Scott Kupor said the new system would ensure taxpayers’ money supports “a workforce that delivers efficient, responsive and high-quality services”.
Kupor said the rule “explicitly prohibits political patronage, loyalty tests or political discrimination”.
Trump had promised during his campaign to reduce protections for officials his team believes have too much influence over government policy. A similar plan, known as Schedule F, was proposed during his first term but was not completed.
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Who is affected
The president will be able to decide which roles lose job protections. The US government employs about 2.1 million civilian workers, many of whom have long seen federal service as stable employment.
Unions and civil rights groups say the changes could allow political firings. Several groups sued the government earlier this year to stop the plan. Court action is expected to resume soon.
Skye Perryman of Democracy Forward said: “We will return to court to stop this unlawful rule and will use every legal tool available.”
Democrats and some former officials say recent actions contradict claims that loyalty tests are banned.
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The Justice Department has moved to dismiss lawyers and FBI staff who worked on cases involving Trump.
Trump said last month he was not concerned about job cuts. “I don’t feel badly because now they’re getting private sector jobs,” he said.
A federal judge is expected to review the rule. Legal challenges are ongoing, and further court decisions could shape how the policy is applied.
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The Trump administration has been working on the repeal for over a year. (AP Photo 
