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Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen's ouster just contributed to the the high rate of turnover among Trump's Cabinet. And while public attention to the Trump administration's vacancies has been low, it's a matter that greatly affects the federal government's ability to serve the American people.

Nielsen's resignation is the 15th departure of a member of Trump's Cabinet in just over two years. This turnover rate is more than double the rate of Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama at this point in an administration. According to Kathryn Dunn Tenpas at the Brookings Institution, no president going back to Ronald Reagan "has appointed three departmental secretaries (to the same department) within the first 27 months of their administration."

[I]t's the equivalent of having a substitute teacher in a classroom. Sure, there's some adult supervision, but it's not clear how much is actually getting done.

To folks outside Washington, this turnover might not mean much. But the lack of political leadership can be debilitating for the functioning of the federal government. As one expert noted, it's the equivalent of having a substitute teacher in a classroom. Sure, there's some adult supervision, but it's not clear how much is actually getting done.

During the presidential campaign and the early days of the administration, Trump claimed that a businessman could better run government, he would "hire the best people," and his Cabinet was "the finest group of people ever assembled."

The reality has been much different. With Small Business Administrator Linda McMahon now gone, too, there are now five vacant Cabinet positions. That doesn't even count the constant turnover at the White House, which is now on its third chief of staff, third national security advisor, and who-knows-how-many communications directors. 

There are also key vacancies within federal departments. Most notably, the top three positions are now empty at the Department of Homeland Security, as are leadership positions at key immigration subagencies and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The department's chief financial officer and inspector general positions are vacant, the general counsel is rumored to be departing and the Secret Service director will be exiting at the end of this month.

The dangers of an acting official

Few organizations could operate effectively with a large number of temporary leaders.  The effects of this personnel void are especially pronounced when it occurs in government. Officials who serve in an acting capacity are unable to drive organizational change, resist political pressures from the White House, and defend their agencies from internal and external attacks. There is also a corrosive effect on morale, as employees sense that their work isn't valued.

The U.S. government is called upon to address complex problems on a daily basis, and a leadership team that doesn't challenge the president's world view can’t make the right decisions to properly serve the American people.

The impact of so many vacancies also has potential ramifications for the delivery of public services. As the federal government's third largest department with more than 240,000 employees, DHS has a broad mission that encompasses immigration enforcement, terrorism prevention, cybersecurity, airline security, drug interdiction and disaster response.

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