In spite of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s assurances that the Department of Health and Human Services would not be subject to a staff purge per se, the department did in fact follow through with layoffs.

The Epidemic Intelligence Service, also referred to as the "Disease Detectives," was reduced by fifty percent as a result of the actions taken by the Trump administration, as The Daily Mail reported.

One report from NBC News said that the layoff, which affected 1,260 employees, took place just after the confirmation.

High-ranking officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which is the HHS subagency that is in charge of the program, said that the changes would have a severe impact on the nation's ability to evaluate emerging diseases.

The Cuts

As Elon Musk's Department of Energy (DOGE) searches the federal government for potential programs to cut, thousands of probationary workers are being affected, including those names.

“The country is less safe,” Dr. Anne Schuchat, a disease research program alumn told reporters. “These are the deployable assets critical for investigating new threats, from anthrax to Zika.”

A large number of CDC employees have risen through the ranks after completing the program and are now leading public health response efforts.

Post-Confirmation

Kennedy was confirmed by the Senate on Thursday and told Fox News in an interview after he was sworn in about his plans.

Public health workers should have "nothing to worry about" during the newly appointed secretary's leadership of the United States' health policy, he promised.

“If you’ve been involved in good science, you’ve got nothing to worry about,” Kennedy said. “If you care about public health, you’ve got nothing to worry about.”

Kennedy's Official Position

As Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kennedy will be responsible for overseeing a budget of approximately two trillion dollars and a workforce of ninety thousand federal employees.

In addition, he will be given the responsibility of managing other essential health programs that fall under the purview of HHS, such as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Kennedy, who is 71 years old, has not provided specifics regarding his "Make America Healthy Again" agenda. However, he has promised to address the rising obesity rates in the United States as well as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food stamps.

Additionally, he has said that he will collaborate with the Department of Agriculture to remove exceptionally processed foods from the market in the United States.