President Trump issued Executive Order 14171 on June 3, 2026, reclassifying approximately 8,000 federal positions—including high level National Institutes of Health (NIH) officials who oversee research grants—as at will employees under the new Schedule Policy/Career designation. The White House order removes civil service protections for these roles, allowing termination without cause. The move, first reported by STAT , targets positions historically insulated from political interference since the 1883 Pendleton Act. The order affects 8,000 merit based roles, primarily at the GS 15 level, which includes policy office leaders, program managers, and officials responsible for NIH grant disbursement. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) initially projected 50,000 positions for reclassification, but the administration has not ruled out future expansions. The reclassification follows a February 2026 rule establishing Schedule Policy/Career, which has already drawn lawsuits from Democracy Forward, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and the American Federation of Government Employees. Critics argue the change threatens the nonpartisan integrity of federal science. The Association of American Universities (AAU) previously warned that removing job protections could subject NIH grant decisions to political influence, disrupting the predictability required for multi year research. The NIH distributed USD 47.5 billion in grants in 2025, relying on career officials to evaluate proposals based on scientific merit. NPR notes that the order targets roles protected since the Pendleton Act, which was enacted after President James A. Garfield’s assassination to curb patronage. Proponents frame the order as a necessary accountability measure. The White House cites low supervisor confidence in removing underperforming employees, with only 40% believing they could dismiss staff for serious misconduct and 25% for poor performance. The order also directs agencies to reward high performing Schedule Policy/Career employees, though it remains unclear how merit based incentives will function without job security. The OPM has not specified how many NIH officials will be reclassified, but the NIH’s Center for Scientific Review, which oversees 80% of grant evaluations, employs 120 GS 15 officials now at risk. Legal challenges may delay implementation. Plaintiffs argue the rule violates the Administrative Procedure Act, while the ACLU has signaled plans to sue. The NIH has not publicly commented on contingency plans, but research institutions are preparing for potential disruptions in the fall 2026 grant cycle, when reclassified officials begin evaluating proposals. The first lawsuits are expected within weeks.