Trump Administration Initiates Major Health Agency Staff Reductions

The Trump administration began its plan to cut 10,000 jobs at the Department of Health and Human Services, targeting staff at the CDC and FDA. Employees were required to show their badges, and those dismissed were sent home. The cuts are part of a larger plan supported by Elon Musk.

The Trump administration took significant action on Tuesday by initiating staff reductions at major health agencies, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as part of a broader aim to cut 10,000 jobs at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

According to sources familiar with the situation, employees at the FDA were required to present their identification badges at the entrance and those who were terminated were provided with a dismissal notice and instructed to leave the premises. At the CDC, layoffs affected multiple departments, including National Center for Environmental Health and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

The department's official spokespersons have not yet publicly commented on the recent layoffs. These cuts are a component of President Donald Trump's widely-discussed strategy, supported by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, to downsize federal departments and agencies significantly.

(With inputs from agencies.)