In a sweeping move that has sent shockwaves through Washington, the Trump administration initiated mass layoffs across major U.S. health agencies on Tuesday. Approximately 10,000 employees at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and National Institutes of Health (NIH) were terminated as part of a broader government reduction plan backed by President Donald Trump and billionaire investor Elon Musk.
Restructuring Sparks Concerns
The cuts, which reduce the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) workforce from 82,000 to 62,000, have removed top scientists overseeing public health initiatives, vaccine approvals, and cancer research. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. defended the decision on social media, calling it necessary to streamline bureaucracy and refocus on preventing chronic diseases. However, critics warn the move could jeopardize responses to ongoing health crises like measles outbreaks and avian flu.
Impact on Key Divisions
High-profile departures include Peter Stein, director of the FDA’s Office of New Drugs, and Brian King, head of the Center for Tobacco Products. Jeanne Marrazzo, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, was reportedly fired and offered a position in the Indian Health Service. Former FDA Commissioner Robert Califf criticized the layoffs on LinkedIn, stating, "The FDA as we’ve known it is finished."
Chaotic Scenes in Washington
Employees arriving at HHS buildings in Washington and Maryland were met by security guards delivering dismissal notices, with some waiting hours in line for clarity. Terminated staff received tickets instructing them to contact departments to retrieve belongings. At NIH’s Bethesda campus, long vehicle lines clogged entry roads as employees processed abrupt layoffs.
The overhaul coincided with the first day for newly confirmed FDA Commissioner Marty Makary and NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya, raising questions about leadership transitions amid unprecedented institutional disruption.
