Today's News: Mass Layoffs at Federal Health Agencies

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has initiated sweeping layoffs across federal health agencies. Agencies impacted include the CDC, FDA, NIH, CMS, and others.

Photo: Getty Images

Overview

• Date: April 1, 2025

• Topic: Trump Administration Executes Mass Layoffs at Federal Health Agencies

• Summary: The Trump administration, under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has initiated sweeping layoffs across federal health agencies, cutting 10,000 jobs with plans to eliminate a total of 20,000. Agencies impacted include the CDC, FDA, NIH, CMS, and others. The reorganization claims to streamline operations, reduce administrative overhead, and shift focus to chronic disease prevention. Offices dedicated to public health programs, minority health, infectious disease, and communications were heavily targeted. Senior leaders were placed on administrative leave or reassigned to remote Indian Health Service posts. Critics warn of long-term damage to health infrastructure, while administration officials claim it will enhance efficiency and reduce taxpayer burden.

Sources

• The New York Times – Trump Administration Begins Layoffs at CDC, FDA and Other Health Agencies

• CNN – ‘It’s a bloodbath’: Massive wave of job cuts underway at US health agencies

• NBC News – Widespread job cuts begin at health agencies

• Fox News – HHS downsizing begins amid RFK Jr. 'Make America Healthy Again' push: 'Win-win for taxpayers'

• The Washington Post – Widespread layoffs, purge of leadership underway at U.S. health agencies

• Wall Street Journal – Health Department Begins Sweeping Job Cuts

Key Points

• Layoffs target approximately 20,000 roles, reducing HHS from 82,000 to 62,000 employees.

• Broad impact on CDC, FDA, NIH, CMS, and agencies like SAMHSA and ACF.

• Entire offices and functions eliminated, including communications, FOIA processing, HIV prevention, reproductive health, and injury prevention.

• Senior leaders and scientists were reassigned or placed on leave, with many offered relocation to IHS offices in remote areas.

• The new structure includes the creation of the Administration for a Healthy America, which consolidates multiple agencies.

• Officials claim Medicare, Medicaid, and critical product review roles will remain unaffected.

• Lawmakers from both parties have summoned Kennedy to testify and expressed concern about transparency and legality.

• Critics widely describe the process as chaotic, poorly communicated, and devastating to public health readiness.

Unique Highlights

• CNN reported on HR errors in layoff paperwork, including incorrect performance ratings affecting severance, and that some fired employees were directed to contact a deceased civil rights director with complaints.

• The New York Times noted Kennedy swore in new agency heads the same day as the layoffs, calling it “the revolution begins today.”

• The New York Times also details terminations at the Office of Minority Health and National Cancer Institute, as well as the dismantling of vaccine development and FOIA teams.

• NBC News described employees being told to bring laptops home in advance of expected terminations and showed FOIA portals going offline.

• Fox News emphasized budget savings ($1.8B/year) and goals to reduce “bureaucratic sprawl,” presenting the overhaul as taxpayer-friendly.

• The Washington Post detailed personal stories, including a 66-year-old woman losing her job and planning to sell her home.

• The Wall Street Journal reported on lawsuits from 23 states and D.C. over the termination of $11 billion in public health grants.

Contrasting Details

• Fox News framed the downsizing as fiscally prudent and mission-aligned, while The New York Times, CNN, NBC News, and The Washington Post emphasized chaos, staff trauma, and threats to public health.

• The Wall Street Journal reports that HHS says essential services will remain uninterrupted; CNN and FDA insiders dispute this, warning of slower drug approvals and diminished safety reviews.

• Some articles cite confusion over who was let go (CNN, NBC News, The Washington Post), while Fox News and HHS statements project a more controlled transition.

• Some articles mention 10,000 current layoffs plus 10,000 past exits; others cite uncertainty around total numbers due to administrative confusion.

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This is an evolving project. Tools, approaches, and output formats will change over time. The Newsie Project does not attempt to provide a definitive capsule of any news story. While the incidence of errors in these summaries is low, and I attempt to spot-check details, AI tools can hallucinate. Please click through and read the articles for details (some may be paywalled).