“The RIFs Have Begun”: Trump Administration Layoffs Shutter CDC Divisions And Leadership Roles

Dozens of employees at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were notified late Friday that they were being terminated as part of a broad reduction-in-force ordered by the Trump administration. The layoffs affected several key offices and programs, including the agency’s Washington office, the Global Health Center, and the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.

The firings followed a directive from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), which instructed agencies to move forward with workforce reductions during the ongoing government shutdown. As reported by Politico, OMB guidance targeted positions deemed nonessential or those associated with programs that conflict with the administration’s policy priorities.

A current CDC official and a former administration official confirmed that entire divisions within the agency have been eliminated. Speaking anonymously to discuss internal personnel decisions. “Entire offices are being eliminated, including people in senior leadership roles.”

Federal Layoffs Widen Beyond Public Health

The terminations affected several specialized teams within the CDC, including members of the Epidemic Intelligence Service, a group known informally as “disease detectives” for their work in investigating outbreaks. Some fellows in the Laboratory Leadership Service, which focuses on improving lab safety standards, also received termination notices. Employees within the Public Health Infrastructure Center and the Office of Science were among those let go, according to both a current CDC official and a former administration source.

The move represents one of the most significant reductions at the CDC in recent years, eliminating roles tied to outbreak response, scientific research, and lab safety oversight. A second former administration official confirmed that portions of the CDC’s Public Health Infrastructure Center leadership were terminated.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) also began issuing layoffs on Friday, affecting between 1,100 and 1,200 employees across multiple divisions. HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon confirmed that reduction-in-force notices had been distributed but declined to specify which departments were impacted.

The wave of federal terminations came hours after White House budget chief Russ Vought announced on social media platform. The announcement signaled the administration’s plan to use the ongoing funding stalemate to pursue workforce reductions across several departments. In addition to HHS, layoffs were reported at the Departments of the Treasury, Education, and Housing and Urban Development, according to a court document filed by the administration.

OMB’s recent memo to federal agencies directed leadership to identify and eliminate programs that are not legally required to continue during a shutdown or that “clash” with White House policy objectives. The CDC layoffs appear to be part of that broader effort, though the agency has not issued a formal statement on the scope or long-term impact of the cuts.