He promised during his first winning campaign to drain the Washington “swamp,” but then-President Donald Trump never fully delivered.
Now, in his second presidency, Trump has moved forward with that pledge, purging thousands of bureaucrats and regulators, The Washington Examiner reported.
Still, voters say they want more, signaling they hope the president has only begun to clear out federal offices and K Street lobbying firms.
Trump initially tasked Elon Musk and his new “Department of Government Efficiency” with eliminating federal agencies and jobs.
On Friday, Trump went further, targeting longtime critic and GOP adviser John Bolton.
According to a new Rasmussen Reports poll released Friday, 62% of likely voters back Trump’s promise to “drain the swamp.”
That included 46% who said they “strongly agree.”
Support was strong among Republicans and conservatives, but also reached across party lines, with 50% of Democrats, 61% of Hispanics, and 46% of African Americans backing Trump’s pledge.
Despite those numbers, many voters do not yet believe Trump has succeeded.
Just 45% said they believe Trump has been successful in draining the swamp, while 48% said he has been “unsuccessful.”
Rasmussen pollster Mark Mitchell said the results show voters want to see more 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!” Mitchell told Washington Secrets.
Trump’s Cabinet members say they are taking aggressive steps to make good on the president’s campaign promise.
VA Secretary Doug Collins said his plan will free up $45 million to be used for veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors.
“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.
In a sweeping move that sources say amounts to a ‘purge,’ the Trump administration fired three senior FBI officials this month, each tied to the Bureau’s investigation of the Capitol riot on January 6th.
Brian Driscoll, who briefly served as acting FBI director at the start of President Donald Trump’s second term, along with Steven Jensen, Assistant Director in Charge of the Washington Field Office, and veteran Special Agent Walter Giardina, were all informed they would be terminated, according to Politico.
Driscoll, a 20-year FBI veteran, confirmed his dismissal in an internal email to colleagues obtained by NBC News
“Last night I was informed that tomorrow will be my last day in the FBI,” he wrote. “I understand that you may have a lot of questions regarding why, for which I currently have no answers.”
Driscoll had previously clashed with top Justice Department officials after refusing to turn over a full list of FBI personnel who worked on the January 6 investigations. In a memo from that time, he warned: “This request encompasses thousands of employees across the country who have supported these investigative efforts. I am one of those employees.”
In his farewell message, Driscoll said, “It has been the honor of my life to serve alongside each of you… I regret nothing. You are my heroes and I remain in your debt.”
Steven Jensen, who was appointed just four months ago to head the Washington Field Office—a key command center for the Jan. 6 probe—also confirmed his firing in a letter dated August 8.
In his own farewell letter to FBI staff, Jensen confirmed his firing was effective August 8 and said, “I intend to meet this challenge like any other I have faced in this organization, with professionalism, integrity, and dignity.”
He added, “Never waver in your resolve to answer the call to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution. Continue to be bold and aggressive in the pursuit of justice. Most importantly, stay safe and take care of each other. Be the FBI.”