“No Federal civilian position that is vacant may be filled, and no new position may be created, except as provided for in this order…”
The promise
On October 15, 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order “Ensuring Continued Accountability in Federal Hiring,” which prohibits filling vacant federal civilian positions or creating new ones except under strict conditions. The EO builds on his earlier “hiring freeze” and merit hiring reforms, directing each agency to set up Strategic Hiring Committees to vet any exceptions. The goal is to tighten oversight, reduce federal workforce bloat, and align hiring with core priorities (e.g. national security, public safety). Exceptions may be granted by OPM. Because this directly alters how agencies staff themselves, it could bottleneck operations and face pushback from agencies or Congress.
