This Presidential Action document formally establishes the new rates of basic pay and salaries for various statutory federal pay systems, including the General Schedule, Foreign Service Schedule, and certain Department of Veterans Affairs schedules, as well as setting salaries for the Senior Executive Service and high-ranking officials like the Vice President and members of Congress.
The action directs the Director of the Office of Personnel Management to implement locality-based comparability payments and assess an additional pay increase for federal civilian law enforcement personnel, with most schedules taking effect starting January 1, 2026, and superseding the previous Executive Order 14132.
Arguments For
Establishes clear, official adjustments to federal employee compensation and military pay rates, ensuring consistency and compliance with established laws (e.g., 5 U.S.C. 5303).
Provides necessary direction for implementing locality-based comparability payments, which supports fair compensation across different geographic areas.
Supersedes previous orders to maintain an up-to-date and coherent system for federal pay adjustments.
Arguments Against
Adjustments to pay scales impact federal budgetary outlays, potentially leading to higher mandatory spending.
Changes in statutory pay rates can invoke internal budgetary reviews and negotiations within different agencies and branches of government.
The directive for the Director of OPM to assess an increase for certain civilian law enforcement personnel adds an element of uncertainty regarding final compensation levels for that specific group.
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:
The President invokes constitutional and statutory authority granted to the office to issue the subsequent directive.
Section 1. Statutory Pay Systems. The rates of basic pay or salaries of the statutory pay systems (as defined in 5 U.S.C. 5302(1)), as adjusted under 5 U.S.C. 5303, are set forth on the schedules attached hereto and made a part hereof:
(a) The General Schedule (5 U.S.C. 5332(a)) at Schedule 1;
(b) The Foreign Service Schedule (22 U.S.C. 3963) at Schedule 2; and
(c) The schedules for the Veterans Health Administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs (38 U.S.C. 7306, 7401, 7404; section 301(a) of Public Law 102–40) at Schedule 3.
This section mandates the new basic pay rates for major federal pay structures, referencing specific U.S. Code sections.
This includes the General Schedule (GS) for general federal employees, the Foreign Service pay scale, and specific schedules used for employees within the Veterans Health Administration.
The actual rates are contained in accompanying schedules referenced here.
Sec. 2. Senior Executive Service. The ranges of rates of basic pay for senior executives in the Senior Executive Service, as established pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 5382, are set forth on Schedule 4 attached hereto and made a part hereof.
The order sets the updated pay ranges for individuals in the Senior Executive Service (SES), which represents the highest career levels within the federal government, referencing the relevant statute for their pay structure.
Sec. 3. Certain Executive, Legislative, and Judicial Salaries. The rates of basic pay or salaries for the following offices and positions are set forth on the schedules attached hereto and made a part hereof:
(a) The Executive Schedule (5 U.S.C. 5311–5318) at Schedule 5;
(b) The Vice President (3 U.S.C. 104) and the Congress (2 U.S.C. 4501) at Schedule 6; and
(c) Justices and judges (28 U.S.C. 5, 44(d), 135, 252, and 461(a)) at Schedule 7.
This section establishes the specific pay rates for key government figures, covering the Executive Schedule (which applies to high-level appointed officials), the compensation for the Vice President and members of Congress, and the salaries for federal justices and judges across various courts.
Sec. 4. Uniformed Services and Other. The rates of monthly basic pay (37 U.S.C. 203(a)) for members of the uniformed services, as adjusted under 37 U.S.C. 1009, and the rate of monthly cadet or midshipman pay (37 U.S.C. 203(c)) are set forth on Schedule 8 attached hereto and made a part hereof. Additionally, the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (Director) is directed to assess whether to provide up to a total increase of 3.8 percent (inclusive of the increase provided under Section 1) to the rates of pay of certain Federal civilian law enforcement personnel, as determined by the Director following coordination with agencies and consistent with 5 U.S.C. 5305.
The order sets the monthly basic pay rates for active duty members of the uniformed services and trainees (cadets/midshipmen).
Furthermore, the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) receives a directive to evaluate providing a potential maximum 3.8 percent pay increase to specific civilian law enforcement personnel, which factors in any base increase already mandated by Section 1.
Sec. 5. Locality-Based Comparability Payments. (a) Pursuant to section 5304 of title 5, United States Code, and my authority to implement an alternative level of comparability payments under section 5304a of title 5, United States Code, locality-based comparability payments shall be paid in accordance with Schedule 9 attached hereto and made a part hereof.
(b) The Director shall take such actions as may be necessary to implement these payments and to publish appropriate notice of such payments in the Federal Register.
This part authorizes and directs the payment of locality-based comparability adjustments, which compensate federal employees in high-cost areas based on local market rates, following established legal codes.
The Director of OPM must finalize the implementation of these payments and officially publish notice in the Federal Register.
Sec. 6. Administrative Law Judges. Pursuant to section 5372 of title 5, United States Code, the rates of basic pay for administrative law judges are set forth on Schedule 10 attached hereto and made a part hereof.
The document specifies the pay rates for Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) according to the relevant statute, detailing their compensation structure.
Sec. 7. Effective Dates. Schedule 8 is effective January 1, 2026. The other schedules contained herein are effective on the first day of the first applicable pay period beginning on or after January 1, 2026.
This section defines when the newly established pay rates take effect.
Pay rates for the uniformed services (Schedule 8) begin on January 1, 2026, while all other pay scales specified in the attached schedules become active at the beginning of the first official pay cycle that starts on or after that date.
Sec. 8. Prior Order Superseded. Executive Order 14132 of December 23, 2024 (Adjustments of Certain Rates of Pay), is superseded as of the effective dates specified in section 7 of this order.
This executive order officially cancels and replaces the previously issued order regarding pay adjustments, Executive Order 14132 from December 23, 2024, effective when the new rates begin.
DONALD J. TRUMP
THE WHITE HOUSE,
December 18, 2025.
This concludes the document, showing the presidential signature, the issuing authority (The White House), and the date the action was signed: December 18, 2025.
Click here to view the tables.
This provides a hyperlink for accessing the detailed tables referenced throughout the executive order, which contain the actual numerical pay schedules.
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