Thousands of federal health employees were abruptly laid off Tuesday morning as the Trump administration carried out deep cuts to agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The move follows Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s announcement last week of plans to eliminate nearly 10,000 jobs across the department.
More than 7,000 workers—including scientists, researchers, and public health experts—received early-morning emails notifying them they were being placed on administrative leave and barred from entering their workplaces immediately. In Washington, D.C., distraught employees gathered outside federal buildings, many in tears, as they tried badge access only to find themselves locked out. Some had dedicated decades to their agencies.
The sweeping cuts align with Kennedy’s long-standing skepticism of federal health institutions and vaccines. Insiders say the restructuring aims to consolidate authority under HHS, particularly in communications, as dismantled divisions included key public outreach teams. The layoffs also reflect former President Donald Trump’s broader push to shrink the federal workforce, mirroring Elon Musk’s controversial “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE), which has aggressively slashed programs—including NIH research grants—under the guise of streamlining operations.
Entire divisions were abruptly shuttered, with devastating consequences for critical public health work. Hundreds of researchers focused on HIV, sexually transmitted infections, and other diseases were among those let go. The cuts come amid a worsening measles outbreak across the U.S., prompting outcry from lawmakers.
“I cannot think of a worse idea than firing the people who help keep us healthy and safe from disease,” Senator Raphael Warnock posted on X. Senator Cory Booker, during a marathon filibuster Tuesday, condemned the gutting of NIH grants as “an assault on science.”
Current and former staffers warned that the layoffs will have dire, long-term repercussions for Americans’ health. “This isn’t just about jobs—it’s about who’s left to protect the public when the next crisis hits,” one former CDC official said. With expertise evaporating overnight, the administration’s overhaul may leave the nation vulnerable in ways that could take years to repair.
