Layoffs at CDC, FDA, and Other Health Agencies to be Implemented by Trump Administration

The Trump administration terminated thousands of federal health workers on Tuesday in a sweeping purge that included senior leaders and top scientists responsible for food and drug control, protecting Americans, and researching new treatments.

Employees reported receiving layoff notifications starting at 5am, affecting offices overseeing health and food safety worldwide. Officials based in the Washington area and Atlanta have been reassigned to Indian Health Services and given options for new locations such as Alaska, Oklahoma, and New Mexico.

The layoffs and reassignments impact all areas of the federal Department of Health and Human Services as part of a major agency restructuring. Entire units have been dismantled, including those focusing on reproductive health, preventing gun injuries, and vaccine research to prevent future pandemics.

Senator Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican and chair of the Senate Health Committee, has called Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to testify about the agency’s reorganization at a hearing on April 10.