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HHS Workforce Cut by 20,000 in Sweeping Trump Administration Restructuring

Mass layoffs disrupt key public health programs as critics warn of long-term risks to U.S. health and safety.

People gather for a candlelight vigil in support of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in front of its headquarters in Atlanta, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Gray)
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ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MARCH 28: People participate in a candlelight vigil in front of the main offices of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on March 28, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. On Thursday HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced plans to cut 10,000 jobs across the agency and merge core functions into a new organization called the Administration for Healthy America. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)
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Overview

  • The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has begun implementing a 25% workforce reduction, with 10,000 employees laid off and 10,000 more leaving through early retirements or resignations.
  • The restructuring consolidates 28 divisions into 15, introduces the new Administration for a Healthy America (AHA), and aims to save $1.8 billion annually.
  • Entire divisions, including those focused on HIV/AIDS, environmental health, and tobacco control, have been eliminated, raising concerns about the nation's ability to address public health crises.
  • High-profile leaders, such as Jeanne Marrazzo of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, were reassigned or placed on leave, contributing to what experts call a 'brain drain' of institutional knowledge.
  • Lawmakers and public health experts have criticized the layoffs for their lack of transparency and potential to weaken drug approvals, disease prevention, and emergency preparedness.