The facts
A federal judge on September 12, 2026 blocked the Trump administration from requiring civil service applicants to answer a loyalty-style essay question.
The Office of Personnel Management directed applicants to explain how they would advance the president's executive orders and policy priorities.
The federal civil service system was created by the 1883 Pendleton Act to replace patronage hiring with merit-based selection.
Federal employees swear an oath to 'support and defend the Constitution of the United States,' not to any president or party.
The federal workforce numbers roughly 2.3 million civilian employees across executive branch agencies, according to OPM data.
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Should federal job applicants have to answer a presidential loyalty question?
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