Overview

• A new OPM memo requires applicants to answer four 200-word essay questions on their patriotism and support for President Trump’s policies without AI assistance.
• Candidates must explain how they would advance specific Executive Orders and undergo an executive interview by political appointees to assess their commitment to American ideals.
• All federal workers will face continuous vetting for “trustworthiness,” including consent to post-appointment conduct checks.
• These measures follow the removal of over 100,000 career employees, and critics warn they aim to replace nonpartisan experts with administration loyalists.
• OPM officials defend the guidelines as lawful under presidential authority and necessary to align the workforce with the administration’s efficiency goals.