President Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday that removes job protections from approximately 8,000 federal workers, allowing them to be terminated without the typical civil service procedures. The order affects high-ranking civil servants earning up to about $200,000 annually who are considered to have policy-influencing roles.

The new classification, called Schedule Policy/Career (P/C), is similar to the Schedule F designation that Trump attempted to implement during his first administration. Workers placed in this category can be fired for any reason, losing the employment protections traditionally afforded to career civil servants.

The executive order was released jointly by the White House and the Office of Personnel Management. It represents part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to overhaul the federal workforce structure and increase executive control over government employees in policy-related positions.

Separately, Trump made claims about anti-fraud efforts, stating that Republicans are uncovering enough government waste to potentially balance the federal budget. He accused Democrats of being complicit in fraudulent activities, though specific details about these alleged discoveries were not provided.

The administration is also facing legal challenges on other fronts, including a lawsuit from healthcare groups over federal rules that limit student loan borrowing for certain graduate degree programs affecting healthcare professionals. Additionally, the administration is contesting court orders related to tariff refunds, with officials signaling they may make it more difficult for some businesses to claim full refunds they are owed.