The Department of Health and Human Services initiated widespread layoffs on Tuesday morning, marking the beginning of the Trump administration’s dramatic downsizing of the federal health agency. Employees received reduction-in-force (RIF) notices via email, immediately placing them on administrative leave.
The notices indicated that the terminations were part of efforts to enhance agency efficiency rather than reflecting on individual performance. Some unionized workers received notifications suggesting potential retention based on factors including tenure and performance ratings.
The cuts span multiple HHS divisions, including the FDA, CMS, CDC, NIH, and other agencies like the Administration for Children and Families and SAMHSA. The restructuring aims to eliminate approximately 10,000 positions, which, combined with previous departures, will reduce the department’s workforce by roughly 25%.
At the FDA, the impact reached key drug and medical device review offices. Peter Stein, who headed the Office of New Drugs, announced his departure after declining an alternative position in patient affairs. Former FDA commissioners Robert Califf and Scott Gottlieb expressed concerns about the cuts, with Califf warning that the agency “as we’ve known it is finished.”
The implementation proved chaotic, with many employees discovering their termination only upon arriving at work to find their badges deactivated. Long lines formed outside HHS buildings in Washington, D.C., as workers waited to learn their employment status. Some terminated employees were unable to access their buildings to retrieve personal belongings or work laptops.
Similar scenes unfolded at the FDA’s Silver Spring campus, where security staff were caught unprepared for the personnel changes. Inside the CDC’s Georgia facilities, employees reported hearing colleagues crying while packing their belongings.
The restructuring appears targeted at specific departments, with cuts affecting senior leadership across centers and offices focused on injury prevention at the CDC. At the NIH, communications and policy departments faced significant reductions, along with staff working on health diversity initiatives. CMS saw cuts to minority health programs.
Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had announced the restructuring plans the previous Thursday, outlining specific targets: 3,500 positions at the FDA, 2,400 at the CDC, 1,200 at the NIH, and approximately 300 at CMS. However, these targets may have shifted due to internal conflicts within the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk.
Reports suggest tension within DOGE over the protection of certain agencies, with former Trump administration official Brad Smith allegedly attempting to shield CMS from severe cuts.
Democratic lawmakers, including Senators Patty Murray and Tammy Baldwin, along with Representative Rosa DeLauro, criticized the lack of transparency in the restructuring process. In a letter to Kennedy, they challenged the administration’s assertion that these changes would improve American healthcare without providing supporting evidence.
The layoffs have created uncertainty about further cuts, with remaining employees expressing concerns about additional termination notices. The reductions have particularly impacted offices focused on diversity and minority health initiatives, aligning with the Trump administration’s broader campaign against DEI programs. The sudden nature of the cuts and lack of clear communication has left many employees struggling to navigate the transition, with some facing practical challenges in retrieving personal items and accessing necessary resources.
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