Federal Groups Get Ready for Return of Donald Trump as President
With the election of Donald J. Trump as the 47th President of the United States, federal groups are getting ready for a second Trump Administration and the potential changes for the federal workforce.
Some federal groups put out statements congratulating Mr. Trump on his victory and said they looked forward to working with his administration.
“Career federal executives, and all civil servants, swear an oath of office to uphold the Constitution,” said Senior Executives Association (SEA) President Marcus Hill. “SEA looks forward to working with leaders from the new administration who will benefit from the expertise and experience of skilled federal employees.”
It was a similar reaction from the Federal Managers Association (FMA).
“As we have for more than 110 years, FMA will work with President Trump and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle in the 119th Congress to push for investment in management and the people of the federal workforce, giving managers the tools they need to effectively operate and securing policies to attract and retain the best and brightest to civil service,” said FMA National President Craig Carter.
Still other employee groups brought up elements of the Trump first term they did not agree with, such as Schedule F, which would reclassify large swathes of the civil service and limiting the power of federal labor groups.
“Make no mistake: our union will not stand by and let any political leader — regardless of their political affiliation — run roughshod over the Constitution and our laws,” said American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) National President Everett Kelley. “During President Trump’s first term, his administration attempted to gut many of our negotiated union contracts, downsize and relocate federal agencies at great disruption and cost to taxpayers.”
“We are fully prepared to work with our allies in Congress and use all the tools we have to fight any and all actions taken by his administration that would harm frontline federal workers, our ability to represent them or their ability to serve the American people,” said National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) National President Doreen Greenwald.
Meanwhile International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) President Matt Biggs, said that he’s already some from members that they are considering leaving federal service over the election result.
Transition in Focus
Regardless, many federal employee and good government groups also urged the incoming Trump Administration to get on with a smooth and lawful transition.
The Partnership for Public Service urged the incoming administration to enter into agreements with the Biden White House, the General Services Administration, the Department of Justice and other entities, so it can take care of important matters like security clearances, conflict of interest reviews, and other items.
“An incoming administration needs to be ready to govern on Day One. Presidential transitions are complex and challenging under any circumstances, and trying to execute one without this support is like running a race with your shoes tied together. Declining this support is a tremendous and unnecessary risk to national security and readiness,” said Partnership for Public Service President and CEO Max Stier in a statement.