Read our statement on the Inauguration of President Donald J. Trump and Vice President JD Vance. Read more

Our updated Trump Political Appointee Tracker is up and running. Follow the status of critical leadership positions that require Senate confirmation

Our new reform agenda seeks to support and strengthen the nonpartisan civil service to improve how our government serves the public. Learn more

As presidential campaign comes into focus, candidates must focus on effective transition planning. Read our statement

Watch the “Our Government Explained” video about the role of the transition process in preparing a president-elect to run the country. Watch here

See how the Partnership for Public Service is responding to the crisis of trust in government. Read more

Since 2008, the Partnership for Public Service has been working with presidential candidates, their transition teams and incumbent administrations to ensure smooth and effective presidential transitions.

Learn more

Our Advantage

Ready to Serve®

Our Ready to Serve resources give aspiring political appointees the information and tools needed to navigate the federal appointments process. We help prospective appointees learn about possible roles, background checks, ethics requirements, and, for the most senior-level positions, the Senate confirmation process.

Transition Timeline

Stay informed about upcoming milestones and statutory requirements for presidential transition teams, federal agencies and the White House.

Political Appointments Over Time

See how the Senate confirmation process is taking longer than ever before for top positions in recent presidential administrations.

Ready to Govern®

Our Ready to Govern program helps political appointees accelerate their impact by helping them better understand their roles and the unique aspects of leading in the federal government.

“The Center is a great convening place for expertise on presidential transitions without an agenda other than making government work.”

 

Josh Bolten, former chief of staff to President George W. Bush

Learn about our impact

Latest Blogs and Research

Trump’s Early Personnel Moves 
A few weeks into Donald Trump’s presidency, we can see the outlines of his personnel strategy taking shape. The transition got off to a hot start, with Trump naming all Cabinet nominees in record time, but after the first month, the pace of personnel announcements leveled off to match the speed of other recent presidents. …
Political Appointment / Presidential Transition
February 13, 2025
Federal Agencies in Focus: Department of Justice
This series presents a sampling of initiatives at specific agencies to demonstrate the many ways our government affects our lives and communities.
January 27, 2025
Chief Human Capital Officers and Assistant Secretaries for Management: Start here! 
As the Trump administration’s new political appointees assume their roles with big policy goals in mind, chief human capital officers and assistant secretaries for management will be essential partners in implementing the new agenda.   Officials in these roles are responsible for their agency’s operations and their most important resource: the workforce. These jobs are never…
January 23, 2025
See more

Political Appointee Tracker

 JUST UPDATED 

Launched in 2016 with The Washington Post, the Political Appointee Tracker has been following roughly 800 of the 1,200 political appointed positions that require Senate confirmation, including Cabinet secretaries, chief financial officers, general counsels and ambassadors.

Learn more

“I cannot imagine doing a presidential transition in a modern era without the Partnership.”

 

Ted Kaufman, co-chair of the Biden-Harris transition team; former senator of Delaware; Center Advisory Board

Learn about our impact