In a seismic shift that will reshape the landscape of federal health agencies, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced Thursday it will lay off 10,000 employees—roughly 24% of its workforce. The move, framed as a strategic restructuring, aims to streamline operations and refocus efforts on combating chronic illness through cleaner living conditions and better nutrition.
A Mission Realigned
“We aren’t just reducing bureaucratic sprawl,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in a written statement. “We are realigning the organization with its core mission and our new priorities in reversing the chronic disease epidemic.”
The department estimates that this dramatic workforce reduction will save approximately $1.8 billion annually. The overhaul aligns with the Trump administration’s broader Department of Government Efficiency initiative, spearheaded by tech magnate Elon Musk, a move that has drawn both praise and controversy.
The Numbers Behind the Cuts
The HHS workforce, currently standing at around 82,000 employees, will shrink to roughly 62,000 following these layoffs. The agency has already initiated voluntary exits through early retirements and a unique “fork in the road” email—an offer of severance in exchange for resignations.
Among the hardest-hit divisions:
