President Trump issued an executive order February 10, 2025, to eliminate the Federal Executive Institute (FEI), citing a policy of fiscal responsibility and a focus on programs that directly benefit Americans. The order argues that the FEI, established during the Johnson administration in 1968, fostered an overgrown Washington bureaucracy that doesn’t serve the American family. It directs the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to dismantle the institute.
The FEI provides leadership training to federal employees at all levels (more than 30,000 to date, according to the FEI page on OPM’s website), from aspiring leaders to senior executives. Its curriculum is based on the OPM’s Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and competencies, and offers a variety of programs, including courses, certifications, and customized options for individuals, teams, and organizations. The FEI’s stated mission is to improve government leadership. It operates from a campus in Charlottesville, Va., and delivers programs at agency sites in the U.S. and globally, using both resident and adjunct faculty from various universities, including Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, Georgetown University, and the Maxwell School of Syracuse University.