Johns Hopkins University has announced that President Donald Trump’s administration will be cutting over 2,000 jobs due to the withdrawal of federal funding for numerous international aid projects. These projects include programs focused on preventing the spread of HIV in India and conducting clinical trials for diarrhea disease in Bangladesh.
The university, known for its significant scientific research contributions, stated that 1,975 jobs in the United States and 247 jobs internationally will be eliminated as a result of the cuts to the US’s international development institutes. Additionally, 78 employees in the US and 29 internationally based employees will be affected.
The institution expressed that this decision will have a major impact on important work being done both in Baltimore and abroad, totaling over $800 million in USAID funds being discontinued.
Researchers leading the affected programs warned that these cuts could lead to an increase in dangerous outbreaks. Furthermore, this change will also impact the economy of Baltimore since Johns Hopkins is the largest private employer in Maryland.
About Half of Johns Hopkins' Last year's funding came from federal research dollarsaccording to a letter from university president Ron Daniels.
Similar employment freezes are being implemented at other universities across the country in response to budget cuts from the Trump administration. Notable institutions like Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Notre Dame have halted faculty hiring.
Additionally, recent actions by the Trump administration include canceling a $400 million grant to Columbia University and revoking $30 million in funding from the University of Maine.
As a result, more than 50 universities are facing scrutiny as the administration aims to terminate diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
Despite criticism, the White House has defended the decision to streamline federal agencies, stating that it will free up more resources for scientific research.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins are concerned about the impact of the cuts to USAID programs on the communities they serve, especially regarding HIV prevention efforts in India. Dr. Sunil Solomon, involved in the HIV detection and prevention research program ‘Accelerate,’ highlighted the potential negative consequences of program closures.
Dr. Judd Walson, chair of Johns Hopkins’s Department of International Health, expressed concern over the closure of programs such as a Tuberculosis Research Program and clinical trials in Bangladesh focused on reducing cholera and other diarrheal diseases.
The decision to end these programs has raised alarms about the potential effects on public health security worldwide, according to Walson.
In Baltimore, the economic implications of these cuts are also significant, with Johns Hopkins contributing billions to the Maryland economy and supporting tens of thousands of jobs in the state.
Further threats to Johns Hopkins loom as the Trump administration attempts to limit National Institutes of Health payments to universities for research grants. Legal challenges are ongoing, with the university potentially facing significant financial impact.
Johns Hopkins received over $1 billion in grant funding from the NIH in 2024, and the proposed cuts to indirect fee payments could have substantial financial consequences for the institution.
Source: www.nbcnews.com
