"President Trump's action will disrupt government programs and services that benefit everyone and actually increase taxpayer costs by forcing agencies to hire more expensive contractors to do work that civilian government employees are already doing for far less," said American Federation of Government Employees President J. David Cox Sr. "This hiring freeze will mean longer lines at Social Security offices, fewer workplace safety inspections, less oversight of environmental polluters, and greater risk to our nation's food supply and clean water systems." 

A hiring freeze was included in the Trump presidential campaign's "Contract with the American Voter." It was the second of six measures "to clean up the corruption and special interest collusion in Washington, D.C." and part of his "100-day action plan to Make America Great Again."

The contract excluded the "military, public safety, and public health," but during a signing in the Oval Office Trump only mentioned the military.