During his first term, then-President Donald Trump campaigned on a promise to “drain the swamp” in Washington but did not follow through on eliminating large numbers of bureaucrats and regulators. In his second presidency, Trump has moved to fulfill that pledge, purging thousands of federal employees and curbing regulatory offices.
According to a new Rasmussen Reports survey, however, many voters believe Trump’s efforts have not gone far enough. While respondents said they support the president’s actions — ranging from his creation of the “Department of Government Efficiency” under Elon Musk to his recent targeting of longtime Republican critic John Bolton — they also said they view Trump as “unsuccessful” so far in fully delivering on his anti-establishment promise.
A new Rasmussen survey released Friday found that 62 percent of likely voters support President Donald Trump’s pledge to “drain the swamp,” including 46 percent who said they “strongly agree.” Support was strongest among Republicans and conservatives but also included half of Democrats, 61 percent of Hispanic voters, and 46 percent of African American voters.
Despite that backing, fewer voters said Trump has delivered on the promise. Just 45 percent described his efforts as successful, while 48 percent said he has been “unsuccessful,” even after widespread cuts to the federal workforce, the Washington Examiner reported, citing the survey.
Rasmussen pollster Mark Mitchell said voters want action. “A strong majority continue to favor draining the swamp, and our polling repeatedly shows that government trust and criminal accountability is a 70/30 issue. Bring it!” he told the Examiner’s Secrets column.
Trump’s Cabinet has moved to advance the president’s “drain the swamp” agenda with new actions at the Department of Veterans Affairs. On Friday, the VA announced it would redirect millions of dollars away from subsidizing federal unions and instead channel the funds toward veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors.
VA Secretary Doug Collins said the change targets what he described as a major element of Washington’s entrenched bureaucracy — federal unions that receive free office space and thousands of hours of employee time for union activities.
According to the department, the move will free up $45 million for programs and services benefiting veterans. “VA staff will now get to spend more time with veterans, VA facilities can focus on treating veterans, and VA can manage its staff according to veterans’ needs and national security requirements, not union demands,” Collins said.
