Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Trump signs executive order reversing probationary-period protections for federal employees, requiring affirmative agency certification to retain workers. — President Trump signed Executive Order 14284 on April 24, 2025, fundamentally restructuring federal civil service probationary and trial periods. The order repeals existing protections under 5 CFR Part 315, Subpart H, and establishes a new Civil Service Rule XI that shifts the burden of proof: employees must now demonstrate why their continued employment serves the public interest, and agencies must affirmatively certify retention within 30 days before the probationary period ends or the employee is automatically terminated. The order takes effect immediately for most provisions, with full implementation 90 days out. Agencies must identify affected employees and designate evaluators within 15 days.
• Trump issued executive order strengthening probationary periods in federal service — President Trump signed an executive order on April 24, 2025, fundamentally restructuring federal employee probationary and trial periods. The order reverses the presumption that probationary employees automatically become tenured; instead, agencies must affirmatively certify within 30 days before the probationary period ends that an employee's continued employment "advances the public interest." The order repeals existing Civil Service Rule 2.4 and establishes new Civil Service Rule XI, shifting the burden of proof to employees to demonstrate why their continuation serves the public interest. Agencies must designate evaluators and conduct performance reviews at least 60 days before probation ends.
• Trump signed Executive Order 14284 reversing probationary-period protections for federal employees — President Trump signed Executive Order 14284 on April 24, 2025, fundamentally restructuring federal probationary and trial periods. The order reverses the presumption that probationary employees become tenured; instead, agencies must affirmatively certify within 30 days before the probationary period ends that an employee's continued employment "advances the public interest," or the employee is automatically terminated. The order repeals existing Civil Service Rule 2.4 and subpart H of 5 CFR 315, replacing them with new Civil Service Rule XI that shifts the burden of proof to the employee and grants agency heads sole discretion in determining whether to finalize appointments based on performance, agency needs, organizational goals, and service efficiency.
• White House issues fact sheet on executive order strengthening federal employee probationary periods — The White House published a fact sheet on April 24, 2025, describing an executive order signed by President Trump that modifies civil service rules governing probationary and trial periods for federal employees. The order establishes Civil Service Rule XI, requiring agencies to affirmatively certify that retaining probationary employees after their trial period serves the public interest, rather than allowing automatic tenure. The fact sheet states the order mandates individualized performance reviews at least 60 days before probationary periods end and requires agencies to identify probationary employees and designators within 15 days.
• Trump signed executive order making federal workers easier to fire — On April 24, 2025, Trump signed an executive order making it easier to fire federal workers within their probationary period. These probationary employees already have fewer protections and were earlier targets of the administration. The order stated "The American people deserve a Federal workforce that is high-quality, efficient, dedicated to the public interest, and no larger than necessary."