Intro

President Donald Trump has big plans for a second term in office. Among his proposals are sweeping cuts to the federal workforce, reducing federal spending on key programs, and potentially firing tens of thousands of federal workers and replacing them with political appointees. It’s a vision that promises to “drain the swamp,” but it could also drain the essential services that millions of Americans rely on.

From trimming federal programs to overhauling bureaucracy, these ideas sound bold on paper, but how feasible—or even practical—are they? And what might the real consequences be if such changes take shape? Professor Donald Moynihan shares his deep knowledge of how bureaucracies operate and separates fact from fiction to explore what Trump’s plans could mean for the future of the country.