President Donald J. Trump’s decision to eliminate the Federal Executive Institute (FEI) marks a significant escalation in his administration’s ongoing war against federal bureaucracy. The FEI, established under Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968, has long served as a premier training institution for high-level government executives. By shutting it down, the administration claims to be eliminating inefficiency—but critics argue that this move is less about streamlining government and more about weakening federal expertise and consolidating control over leadership selection.
Does this decision truly reduce waste, or does it undermine the professional development of those responsible for running the federal government? This analysis dissects the intent, historical parallels, broader ideological implications, and potential consequences of this executive order.
Policy Content & Intent – What Does This Order Actually Do?
The executive order directs the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to:
- Dismantle the Federal Executive Institute (FEI) by revoking relevant documents and halting its operations.
- Reclaim and repurpose the FEI’s assets, including a former luxury hotel in Charlottesville, VA, which served as the Institute’s primary training facility.
- Align government leadership with Trump’s efficiency-focused vision, arguing that entrenched bureaucratic training programs contribute to excessive government growth.
The core rationale is clear: Trump’s administration seeks to weaken the influence of career government officials by eliminating an institution that historically trained senior bureaucrats. The closure of FEI fits into the broader Project 2025 agenda of “deconstructing the administrative state” and replacing government professionals with political loyalists.
Historical Context – Where Have We Seen This Before?
The dismantling of civil service training institutions is a hallmark of authoritarian governance and has been observed in multiple historical cases:
- Reagan’s 1981 Firing of Air Traffic Controllers: A move that weakened unionized federal employees and sent a chilling message to career civil servants.
- The Nazi Gleichschaltung (“Coordination”) Policy: A systematic effort to replace bureaucratic institutions with party loyalists to consolidate power.
- Trump’s Schedule F Executive Order (2020): Attempted to reclassify thousands of federal workers as at-will employees, stripping career officials of their protections and making them easier to replace.
These historical precedents suggest that the elimination of the FEI is not merely about efficiency but about reshaping government leadership in a way that aligns with Trump’s broader anti-bureaucratic populist agenda.
Broader Policy Context – How Does This Fit Into the Bigger Picture?
Trump’s move to abolish the FEI aligns directly with Project 2025, which explicitly calls for dismantling the civil service system and replacing career officials with a handpicked conservative workforce.
Key connections to Project 2025 include:
- Project 2025 states that “personnel is policy”, meaning that controlling who runs the government is just as important as passing laws.
- FEI graduates often hold senior positions in agencies that Trump has attacked—such as the EPA, DOJ, and Department of Education—institutions that conservatives view as “deep state” strongholds.
- Project 2025 advocates for reducing bureaucracy by cutting training programs, an argument that Trump’s executive order directly mirrors.
By eliminating the FEI, Trump is crippling a key mechanism for developing competent federal leadership, making it easier to fill leadership ranks with ideological loyalists rather than experienced administrators.
Predicted Outcomes & Probability Estimates
Updated Predicted Outcomes & Probability Estimates
| Outcome | Probability | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Erosion of government leadership quality | 95% | The removal of structured training weakens competency in federal agencies. |
| Increased politicization of leadership roles | 90% | Without FEI, leadership selection will be influenced more by ideology than expertise. |
| Legal challenges from federal employees | 80% | Federal unions and career officials may argue this violates civil service protections. |
| Follow-up executive orders to replace FEI | 85% | Trump’s administration may establish an alternative leadership training program favoring political loyalty. |
| State opposition (CA, NY, OR, WA, CO, etc.) | 75% | Progressive states may see this as an attack on governance itself and seek to challenge it. |
Citations and Relevant Links
- White House Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Eliminates the Federal Executive Institute
- 3 U.S.C. § 301 – President’s Authority Over Agencies
- 5 U.S.C. § 4117 – Training for Government Employees
- Project 2025 Official Website
- Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Website
- Federal Executive Institute Official Page (archived)
