The Trump administration initiated layoffs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Tuesday as part of its broader plan to reduce 10,000 jobs within the Department of Health and Human Services, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
The job cuts align with President Donald Trump’s strategy, supported by billionaire Elon Musk, to downsize federal agencies.
Brian King, head of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products, was among those dismissed, as confirmed in an internal email viewed by Reuters.
Additionally, Peter Stein, director of the Office of New Drugs in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, resigned the same day, a source reported.
These departures add to the growing number of leadership exits across key FDA divisions, including drugs, food, vaccines, medical devices, and tobacco products. With more staff leaving, some employees responsible for reviewing products are reportedly struggling to meet deadlines. According to one FDA employee, fired staff were required to show their badges at the building entrance before being issued a ticket and told to return home.
At the CDC, layoffs affected employees from the National Center for Environmental Health, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, another source disclosed.
