OPM shuts down federal leadership training hub

OPM has officially closed its Center for Leadership Development (CLD), a longtime engine for training and developing future federal leaders, as part of a Trump administration-mandated agency-wide reduction in force.

The decision, confirmed by Federal News Network, eliminates a suite of programs including the Federal Executive Institute, the Presidential Management Fellows program, and USA Learning—initiatives once relied on across the executive branch to sharpen workforce skills and prepare employees for leadership roles. Former officials and stakeholders warn the move undermines the government’s ability to cultivate competent leaders and meet complex mission demands.

“It’s like cutting off your whole arm when you just had a hangnail,” said one anonymous OPM employee, lamenting the abrupt dismantling of a program with widespread agency engagement.

Roughly eighty remaining CLD staff were notified on 18 April 2025 that their positions would be eliminated. While OPM said it is "reimagining" how training is delivered to ensure future solutions are “cost-efficient” and “high-quality,” critics say the agency has not yet presented a viable alternative.

“This move risks leaving a dangerous vacuum in federal leadership development,” said Jason Briefel of the Senior Executives Association. “Effective, scalable training can’t be replicated in siloes.”

The closure also follows OPM’s disbandment of other key offices this year, including its Human Capital Data division, raising broader questions about the administration’s long-term strategy for workforce modernization.