The Third Eye: Trump's Swift Administrative Overhaul

New Delhi: In his second term, US President Donald Trump has prioritized reforms in federal governance as a fundamental part of his MAGA agenda. He has introduced a new entity, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by his close associate Elon Musk, granting him considerable authority to streamline various branches of the federal government.

The President continually supports Musk's initiatives by issuing Executive Orders. DOGE has reportedly uncovered extensive systemic corruption and found valid reasons for enforcing cost-effectiveness.

Efficiency is fundamentally a measure of output per resource unit—in this case, both financial and human resources—and it is improved by minimizing the workforce to an optimal level and simplifying processes to ensure tasks are completed with the fewest operational steps.

India’s experience with Administrative Reforms Commissions (ARCs) has resulted in numerous reports that merely expanded bureaucracy without creating lasting changes. Notably, Prime Minister Modi's vision of ‘minimum government maximum governance’ in India mirrors what DOGE appears to be executing in the United States.

However, the sweeping layoffs initiated at once and the rapid operational style of DOGE under Musk have sparked controversy, leading to many actions being contested in District Courts. The Trump Administration remains undeterred, showing confidence in navigating the judicial landscape through the Court of Appeals and potentially the Supreme Court.

Education and health are two critical issues for the national government in a democratic society, as they are vital for cultivating an informed electorate while fulfilling the obligations of ‘welfarism’ required of a democratic state.

Interestingly, these two sectors are the first targets of DOGE's downsizing efforts through layoffs.

Trump signed an executive order dismantling the Department of Education on March 20, with nearly half of its staff laid off just a week earlier, on March 12.

The President has expressed a desire to ‘return education back to the states,’ labeling the department as ‘wasteful and tainted by liberal ideology,’ and bluntly asserting that ‘the experiment of federal control over American education has failed our children, teachers, and families.’

Federal actions are already underway against prestigious institutions like Columbia and Harvard for alleged harassment of Jewish students. The Trump Administration has also suspended numerous federally funded research grants to Princeton University amid investigations into anti-Semitic activities on campus.

Predictably, civil rights organizations view these developments as contradictory to principles of equality and fairness, warning of potential civil rights violations in schools. Established in 1979, the Department of Education manages funding for public schools, oversees student loans, and runs programs beneficial to low-income students.

Trump has accused the department of ‘indoctrinating youth with political and racial material.’ He believes Education should not handle loans, delegating that responsibility to the Treasury. He has also reduced USAID funding, driven by his aversion to civil society organizations promoting left-liberal agendas in the name of human rights.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announced significant changes at HHS, consolidating divisions from 28 to 15 through internal mergers, indicating mass layoffs are forthcoming to cut the full-time HHS workforce by approximately 25%, saving $1.8 billion annually while claiming the department ‘will achieve more with less.’ Kennedy publicly stated that ‘defiant bureaucrats’ had obstructed his efforts to access critical databases that could expose the ‘dangers of certain medications.’

It’s evident that one reform the Trump Administration is advocating for is to dismantle the bureaucratic stranglehold that often becomes an ‘autonomous power center’ in a democratic system by invoking rules and procedures. This can be deemed a valid reform if it aims at the efficient delivery of public services; a striking example is DOGE's discovery of 3.2 million individuals aged 120 years still recorded for social security.

A new division named ‘Administration of a Healthy America’ has been established to replace five previous divisions, including the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the Administration for Community Living, which catered to the elderly and disabled, redistributing these functions to other divisions.

For the first time, department heads have been directly instructed by DOGE to conduct thorough assessments of how to enhance federal governance cost-effectively and efficiently.

National media is another target of scrutiny by the Trump Administration, with a significant decision made to dismantle the Voice of America (VOA), a government-funded international news service, resulting in 1,200 employees being placed on paid leave.

Trump has criticized VOA for its alleged bias against conservative Americans and expressed discontent with VOA acknowledging China’s effectiveness in managing the COVID-19 outbreak. A district judge, in response to a lawsuit filed on March 21, has restrained the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees VOA, from ceasing its broadcasts.

The judge maintained that USAGM cannot override Congress’s financial authority and legislative supremacy. Notices of termination were also sent to Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty, with President Stephen Capus describing this decision as ‘a significant benefit to America’s adversaries.’

Trump’s executive order for a substantial reduction of government agencies encompassed the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and the US Interagency Council on Homelessness.

These measures are portrayed as steps toward ‘reducing bureaucracy’ and government expenditures, and agency heads have been instructed to report to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget regarding which expenditures are statutorily mandated.

All indications suggest that a meticulously designed plan to downsize the federal government is underway, where ideological intolerance towards the advocacy of ‘liberalism’ perceived as inconsistent with America First is evident.

The repercussions of several decisive actions by President Trump, such as declaring a ‘national emergency’ to expel all illegal immigrants from the US—which allowed the military to block the southern border—and the aggressive implementation of ‘America First’ in foreign policy, trade, tariffs, and job preferences for Americans, are now becoming apparent.

The uncertainty surrounding H1B visas, which once attracted brilliant students to America, coupled with the denial of citizenship by birth, has hindered long-term settlement prospects for individuals eager to contribute to the nation. The perceived discrimination in policies towards outsiders has fostered a degree of uncertainty and unpredictability in the country.

Comprehensive changes in federal research policy and funding have reportedly prompted many US-based scientists to consider relocating to Europe or Canada.

Post-doctoral and PhD student populations are also likely to diminish for similar reasons. Nonetheless, it must be noted that unchecked freedom to undermine a democratic regime through ‘narrative building’ or engaging in illicit activities like narcotics trafficking or human trafficking must be regulated under central oversight.

Trump's domestic and international policies have been enacted concurrently, but it remains crucial to evaluate if, given time to evolve, they will restore stability for legitimate immigrants.

In the haste to implement coordinated decisions rapidly, Trump's top advisors seemingly overlooked security protocols while using the encrypted Signal platform for discussions about missile and drone operations against the Houthis in Yemen.

The Houthis had been attacking vessels transporting Western aid for Israel through the Red Sea.

The Editor of The Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg, who is vocally opposed to Trump, gained access to the chat before the strategic discussion on the Houthis. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz took responsibility for the leak, attributed to a technical error, while President Trump asserted that a lesson had been learned, and the Administration would discontinue using that messaging platform.

‘War plans with timelines’ should never be discussed online—nothing is more critical than requiring top advisors to convene in a confidential setting and adhere to the ‘need to know’ principle. Rapid decision-making may necessitate sacrificing convenience, but it must never compromise security.

No policymaker is exempt from security briefing, and ideally, such standards should be established by the Director of National Intelligence in the US context.

India has effectively approached the Trump Administration with a comprehension of its security and economic concerns, striving to maintain a strategic friendship between the two democracies.

Trump possesses significant potential to address global trouble spots in a manner that mitigates escalation and promotes resolution. In opposing Islamic terrorism and countering an assertive China, India and the US share common ground regarding trade, tariffs, and immigration. India’s rational response could help resolve these issues and sustain smooth Indo-US relations.

Ultimately, India, as a major power engaged in global peace and economic development, has the standing to maintain a bilateral relationship with the Trump Presidency while upholding the national interests of both nations.

(The writer is a former Director of the Intelligence Bureau)