Commencing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy

Executive Orders

TLDR

This executive order reduces federal government scope by targeting four agencies (Presidio Trust, Inter-American Foundation, US African Development Foundation, US Institute of Peace), eliminating several programs (Federal Executive Boards, Presidential Management Fellows Program), and terminating multiple advisory committees. Implementation requires quick action with 14-30 day deadlines while maintaining compliance with existing laws. The order particularly impacts international development functions, advisory oversight bodies, and federal workforce development mechanisms.

This executive order focuses on reducing the federal government’s size and scope through several significant measures.

Agency Reductions

The order targets four specific government entities for significant reduction:

  • The Presidio Trust (manages the Presidio of San Francisco)
  • The Inter-American Foundation (supports development in Latin America)
  • The United States African Development Foundation (promotes economic growth in Africa)
  • The United States Institute of Peace (promotes international conflict resolution)

Program Eliminations

The order eliminates or modifies several key programs:

  • Federal Executive Boards (by revoking a 1961 memorandum)
  • Presidential Management Fellows Program (complete termination)
  • Multiple Federal Advisory Committees, including:
    • Advisory Committee on Voluntary Foreign Aid
    • Academic Research Council
    • Credit Union Advisory Council
    • Community Bank Advisory Council
    • Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Long COVID
    • Health Equity Advisory Committee

Analysis

Immediate Impact

The order requires immediate action with strict timelines:

  • 14-day deadline for affected entities to report compliance
  • 14-day deadline for termination of specified advisory committees
  • 30-day deadline for identifying additional entities for termination

Potential Concerns

Several aspects of this order raise significant policy implications:

  • The elimination of health-related committees (Long COVID and Health Equity) could impact healthcare policy coordination
  • Reducing international development foundations may affect U.S. soft power and diplomatic relations
  • The termination of the Presidential Management Fellows Program could affect federal workforce development

Implementation Constraints

The order includes important limitations:

  • Actions must comply with existing laws
  • Changes are subject to available appropriations
  • The order preserves existing statutory authorities
  • No new legal rights are created by the order

Size Reduction Claims

While the order claims to “dramatically reduce” the federal government, the actual scope is relatively limited:

  • Targets mostly advisory committees and non-statutory functions
  • Many affected entities are already small in terms of budget and personnel
  • Core federal functions remain largely untouched

Economic Impact Claims

The order’s stated goals of reducing inflation and promoting innovation through these specific cuts are questionable:

  • The targeted entities represent a minimal portion of federal spending
  • Many affected programs actually support economic development and innovation
  • The connection between these specific cuts and inflation reduction is not clearly established

International Development Focus

A significant number of the targeted entities focus on international development and diplomacy:

  • The Inter-American Foundation and African Development Foundation both support economic development in their respective regions
  • The U.S. Institute of Peace works on international conflict resolution
  • The Advisory Committee on Voluntary Foreign Aid deals with international assistance

Domestic Advisory Functions

The order targets multiple advisory bodies that provide oversight and guidance:

  • Financial sector advisory committees (Credit Union, Community Bank, Academic Research)
  • Health-related advisory committees (Long COVID, Health Equity)
  • Federal Executive Boards that coordinate regional activities

Progressive Policy Infrastructure

The cuts appear to target institutions associated with specific policy priorities:

  • Health equity initiatives established under the Biden administration
  • The Presidio Trust, which operates in Nancy Pelosi’s district
  • The Institute for Peace, which is being targeted partly due to perceived partisan leanings

Professional Development

The order specifically dismantles federal workforce development mechanisms:

  • The Presidential Management Fellows Program, which trains academics for executive branch service
  • Federal Executive Boards, which coordinate federal activities across regions

These patterns suggest a systematic approach to reducing federal involvement in international development, advisory oversight, and certain domestic policy areas that align with previous administration priorities. The cuts particularly impact entities focused on international cooperation, public health equity, and federal workforce development.

This executive order represents a significant shift in federal administrative policy, but its actual impact may be more limited than its stated ambitions suggest. The focus on advisory committees and smaller agencies, while symbolic, may not achieve the dramatic reduction in government size claimed in the order’s purpose statement.

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:

Section 1.

Purpose.

It is the policy of my Administration to dramatically reduce the size of the Federal Government, while increasing its accountability to the American people. This order commences a reduction in the elements of the Federal bureaucracy that the President has determined are unnecessary. Reducing the size of the Federal Government will minimize Government waste and abuse, reduce inflation, and promote American freedom and innovation.

Sec. 2.

Reducing the Scope of the Federal Bureaucracy.

(a) The non-statutory components and functions of the following governmental entities shall be eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law, and such entities shall reduce the performance of their statutory functions and associated personnel to the minimum presence and function required by law:

(i) the Presidio Trust;

(ii) the Inter-American Foundation;

(iii) the United States African Development Foundation; and

(iv) the United States Institute of Peace.

(b) Within 14 days of the date of this order, the head of each unnecessary governmental entity listed in subsection (a) of this section shall submit a report to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB Director) confirming compliance with this order and stating whether the governmental entity, or any components or functions thereof, are statutorily required and to what extent.

© In reviewing budget requests submitted by the governmental entities listed in subsection (a) of this section, the OMB Director or the head of any executive department or agency charged with reviewing grant requests by such entities shall, to the extent consistent with applicable law and except insofar as necessary to effectuate an expected termination, reject funding requests for such governmental entities to the extent they are inconsistent with this order.

(d) The Presidential Memorandum of November 13, 1961 (Need for Greater Coordination of Regional and Field Activities of the Government), is hereby revoked. The Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM Director) is directed to initiate the process to withdraw the regulations at title 5, part 960, Code of Federal Regulations, thereby eliminating the Federal Executive Boards.

(e) The OPM Director is directed to initiate the process to withdraw the regulations at title 5, part 362, subpart D, Code of Federal Regulations, and to take any other steps necessary to promptly terminate the Presidential Management Fellows Program. On the effective date of the final regulations promulgated by the OPM Director, Executive Order 13318 of November 21, 2003, is revoked and Executive Order 13562 of December 27, 2010, is amended by:

(i) striking from section 2 the words “along with the Presidential Management Fellows Program, as modified herein,”;

(ii) striking section 5;

(iii) striking from section 6(b) the words “or PMF Programs” and inserting in their place “program”;

(iv) striking from section 7(b)(iii) the words “the competitive service of Interns, Recent Graduates, or PMFs (or a Government-wide combined conversion cap applicable to all three categories together)” and inserting in their place “the competitive service of Interns or Recent Graduates (or a Government-wide combined conversion cap applicable to both categories together)”; and

(v) redesignating sections 6, 7, 8, and 9 as sections 5, 6, 7, and 8 respectively.

(f) Within 14 days of the date of this order, the following heads of executive departments and agencies (agencies) shall take the following actions with respect to the following Federal Advisory Committees within their respective agencies:

(i) the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development shall terminate the Advisory Committee on Voluntary Foreign Aid;

(ii) the Director of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection shall terminate the Academic Research Council and the Credit Union Advisory Council;

(iii) the Board of Directors of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation shall terminate the Community Bank Advisory Council;

(iv) the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall terminate the Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Long COVID; and

(v) the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services shall terminate the Health Equity Advisory Committee.

(g) Within 30 days of the date of this order, the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, and the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy shall identify and submit to the President additional unnecessary governmental entities and Federal Advisory Committees that should be terminated on grounds that they are unnecessary.

Sec. 3.

General Provisions.

(a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department, agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

© This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

THE WHITE HOUSE,
February 19, 2025.