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Presidential Memorandum on Career Senior Executive Service (SES) officials

This memorandum states that Career Senior Executive Service (SES) officials are to serve at the pleasure of the President. The memorandum makes it easier to fire SES officials, requiring agencies to adopt performance plans for SES officials and directs heads of departments and agencies to hold SES officials accountable for these performance plans. It also directs heads of departments and agencies who become aware of an SES official “whose performance or continued occupancy of the position is inconsistent with either the principles reaffirmed in this Order or other duties to the Nation” to immediately take actions up to and including removal of that official. The memorandum also directs agencies to terminate existing performance review boards and re-constitute with members willing to enforce SES official performance evaluations and the memorandum overall.

SES officials, who are at the highest level of career civil service, oversee significant work. This memorandum politicizes SES officials, most of whom are career civil servants.