President Donald Trump has put hiring power in the hands of his political appointees in his latest extension of the federal hiring freeze on Wednesday, while indefinitely stalling hiring that doesn’t meet certain exceptions.
His first hiring freeze order, established on Jan. 20, was set to end on Oct. 15, with his newest extension not setting an end date, unlike previous extensions.
Exceptions under the new order allow for hires related to immigration enforcement, public safety and national security, political appointments, and other roles within the Executive Office of the President.
It also directed federal agencies to stand up “strategic hiring committees” within the next month.
Those committees will approve the creation or filling of every role within an agency, the White House said, and will “ensure that agency hiring is consistent with the national interest, agency needs, and the priorities” of the Trump administration.
Members of those committees will be headed by the agency head and agency chief of staff, and “other senior officials as the agency head may designate.” The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must then give final approval for any new hires.
Both the agency head and chief of staff are politically appointed roles.
Federal agencies are also being directed to create an “annual staffing plan” in coordination with OPM and the Office of Management and Budget, which the White House said will “ensure that new career appointments in the upcoming fiscal year are in the highest-need areas and aligned with the priorities” of the Trump administration.
Those priorities have so far appeared to focus on political loyalty and a platform against diversity, equity, and inclusion-related hiring practices, with a focus on executing OPM’s merit hiring plan.
Under those plans, agencies are expected to outline improvements to operational efficiency, eliminating duplicative or unnecessary functions or positions, reducing low-value contractor positions, promoting employee accountability, and enhancing the delivery of essential services.