The Trump administration has executed significant staffing cuts including half of the CDC’s Epidemic Intelligence Service officers, known as the “disease detectives”, according to multiple health officials. These layoffs are part of a wider move to reduce the federal workforce under the supervision of President Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) task force, spearheaded by business magnate Elon Musk.

The Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) officers of CDC are selected annually through a competitive procedure. Upon selection, they contribute towards public health responses for two years either at the CDC or at health departments throughout the nation. Many of these officers eventually ascend the CDC hierarchy post selection in the program. All recent hires for the EIS were informed of their termination on Friday.

Dr. Anne Schuchat, an ex high-ranking CDC official and program alumni, voiced her concern stating that the nation is now less secure as these officers are crucial in tackling new threats ranging from anthrax to Zika. In total, around 1,270 of the 2,800 probationary workers are being dismissed from the agency, which equates to about 10% of the CDC’s staff.

Who made the decision regarding the layoffs within the CDC remains a mystery. Though managers at the Atlanta-based agency were asked to rank probationary hires earlier, the final decision on the layoffs came from Trump administration appointees external to the agency.

The cuts extend beyond the probationary staff, impacting many CDC workers hired as contractors. Other health agencies have also faced cuts, with the Indian Health Service reportedly losing hundreds of staff, a significant blow for an agency already struggling with recruitment.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which oversees the CDC and other health agencies, stated that they support President Trump’s efforts to streamline the federal government. Andrew Nixon, the department spokesperson, affirmed that this is to ensure that HHS serves the American people more efficiently.

Despite these cuts, not all health agency workers are aware of the reductions. Staff at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and Food and Drug Administration reported no knowledge of cuts as of late Friday. These cuts occurred shortly after Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the newly appointed HHS Secretary, denied any plans for major layoffs at the nation’s health agencies.