In Support of the Public Service Pipeline

September 8, 2025, Washington, DC - The American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) has released the following statement supporting those who aspire to work in the civil service.

For eight-plus decades, ASPA has brought its mission—advancing excellence in public service—to life by educating, publishing and convening. We support and encourage our members’ work at every level of government, providing them with the knowledge, skills and expertise they need to serve their communities well. As important, we have the responsibility to sound the alarm when a well-trained and professional civil service is put at risk.

Recent actions by the Trump Administration to decimate the public service pipeline—impacting those at the outset of their careers, those in the middle and those transitioning roles—are a disservice to these professionals, the policymakers for whom they work, the public they serve and the constitutional order that is the foundation of public service.

The elimination of the Presidential Management Fellows program strikes at the heart of building a workforce of the future with individuals serving a noble cause. The shuttering of the Federal Executive Institute sends the clear message that the administration does not prioritize developing a competent, expert public service. And, adding partisan essays as part of the federal hiring process needlessly politicizes functions across agencies, trading accountability and professionalism for the spoils system.

These actions are wrong. The PMF program should be reinstated, FEI should be reopened and hiring should be based on competence, not personal loyalty. We support efforts by Members of Congress to do just that. But, most important, we say this to every individual who has considered public service for their profession: Continue to dedicate yourself to this calling. It is through your work at all levels of government and in the nonprofit sector that you will help our communities thrive. Even in the absence of the programs and regulatory bodies that have strengthened the public service, this pipeline can—and must—continue and grow. The interests of the public are far more important than narrow political interests.

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ASPA is the leading interdisciplinary public service organization that advances the art, science, teaching and practice of public and nonprofit administration. Learn more at www.aspanet.org