Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the new health secretary, has begun the process of firing approximately 10,000 employees working under the Health and Human Services umbrella. The decision comes despite his previous warnings to health officials that they should prepare for layoffs.
Kennedy claims that the cuts are necessary to “realign” HHS with its core mission: to combat chronic disease. However, critics argue that the mass layoffs will undermine his own priorities. Specifically, Kennedy has fired officials tasked with reducing rates of chronic disease, including those working on tobacco regulation and public health updates.
The move is being met with concerns over the potential impact on Kennedy’s goals. With key personnel out, it remains to be seen how effectively HHS can implement its mission to make America healthy again.
Source: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2025/04/rfk-jr-hhs-layoffs-end-game/682276