The Trump administration has developed a new training course on the Constitution for those government employees who want to join the Senior Executive Service (SES), the staff members at the top levels of government.
The Office of Personnel and Management (OPM) has crafted the 80-hour course, according to a report from Real Clear Politics' Philip Wegmann, who was able to obtain a copy of a memo addressing the issue at OPM.
As part of the latest effort from the Trump administration to align the administrative agencies with his agenda, the course includes 80 hours of video-based training surrounding the "founding ideals of our government," the US Constitution, and executive orders from the president.
The course is set to go live this September and will require both the 80-hour training course as well as a two-day in-person training in Washington, DC. The goal of the program is to “ensure that SES officials uphold the Constitution and the rule of law and effectively serve the American people."
According to the OPM, SES employees "serve in the key positions just below the top Presidential appointees" and "are the major link between these appointees and the rest of the Federal workforce." SES staffers work at about 75 federal agencies.
The move from the Trump administration is in line with his other efforts to root out what he and others on the right have called the "deep state" from the federal government. “Either the Deep State destroys America, or we destroy the Deep State," Trump stated during one of his first rallies on the campaign for the 2024 election.
The new course for SES staffers is part of what the OPM referred to as "Executive Core Qualifications," and DEI metrics have been disbanded altogether. The memo adds that new hires in the SES will be based on merit, competence, and “dedication to our Nation’s Founding ideals.” OPM's memo outlines other requirements to be hired as an SES staffer in the government. Resumes will be limited to two pages and the 10-page essay requirement that was previously used will be dispensed with.
Additionally, OPM will require that Executive Review Boards be made up of a majority of employees who have not been career government workers. The boards are responsible for hiring, assessment, and management of the SES staffers.
“These requirements ensure that effective implementation of the President’s policies is at the forefront of agency executive management decisions,” the memo stated.
