Trump Administration Fires Over 10,000 U.S. Health Agency Employees

The Trump administration has initiated the layoff of over 10,000 employees from U.S. health agencies, including the FDA, CDC, and NIH, Khaama Press reported. This mass dismissal, which began on Tuesday, saw some workers barred from their workplaces shortly after receiving termination notices via email, stating their dismissals were not due to performance issues.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. justified the reduction from 82,000 to 62,000 employees as necessary for operational improvement. However, the layoffs included prominent scientists involved in public health and vaccine approval, raising concerns about the U.S.’s ability to respond to health crises like measles and bird flu outbreaks.

The Tobacco Regulatory Center was also affected, with its entire management eliminated, prompting worries about the future of tobacco regulation. Former FDA commissioner Robert Califf remarked that the agency’s knowledgeable leadership is now largely vacant, predicting that this decision will be viewed as a significant error in history.

The layoffs have drawn widespread criticism, with experts fearing that the cuts will severely hinder the country’s capacity to manage public health emergencies and maintain essential services.