The Supreme Court has ruled that the Trump administration may cut thousands of employees from the Department of Health and Human Services, CNN reported. The employees were notified by email on Monday that it was their last day on the job.
President Donald Trump's HHS, under the guidance of Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., initially notified affected employees throughout its agencies on April 1. However, a court battle ensued but eventually ended at the U.S. Supreme Court last week.
On July 8, the high court ruled in favor of the HHS and said it "is now permitted to move forward with a portion of its [reduction in force]." The decision was then relayed to workers who were let go as originally planned before the challenge.
"You are hereby notified that you are officially separated from HHS at the close of business on July 14, 2025. Thank you for your service to the American people," Monday's email informed them.
The plan to eliminate 20,000 HHS employees was announced on March 27 and made Democrats apoplectic. The employees would be cut from agencies including the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Food and Drug Administration.
"This will be a painful period for HHS as we downsize from 82,000 workers to 62,000," Kennedy said when announcing the plan. "But we are keenly focused on paring down the number of administrators while increasing the number of scientists and frontline health providers."
🚨 RFK JR ANNOUNCES MAJOR CUTS TO HHS: “THIS WILL BE PAINFUL”
20,000 HHS workers are about to get the boot:
“This will be a painful period for HHS as we downsize from 82,000 workers to 62,000,” he noted.
“But we are keenly focused on pairing down the number of… pic.twitter.com/OE6oJaYDK3
— Lauren Lee (@sheislaurenlee) March 27, 2025
While some of those have been restored to employment, Monday's decision impacts thousands of employees, according to a spokesperson for the HHS. However, this may not be the final word, even for all those who were cut, as a portion of employees are still protected under New York v. Kennedy, not addressed in Monday's ruling.
HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon celebrated the decision that will allow the administration to proceed with its stated goals. "HHS previously announced our plans to transform this department to Make America Healthy Again and we intend to do just that," Nixon told CNN in an email statement.
The Trump administration may also proceed with layoffs at the Department of Education thanks to another Supreme Court ruling Monday. Just two hours after the high court decision, the administration offered an Aug. 1 termination date to some 1,400 employees.
National Education Association President Becky Pringle bristled at this move, Fox News reported. "Everyone who cares about America’s students and public schools should be appalled by the Supreme Court’s premature intervention in this case today, which stays preliminary relief ordered by the lower courts," Pringle claimed.
"Today’s decision does not resolve the underlying merits of Trump’s unlawful plan to eliminate the Department of Education," she added. Pringle promised a fight, which Trump is undoubtedly ready for, even as Democrats rage against him.
"Parents, educators, and community leaders won’t be silent as Trump and his allies take a wrecking ball to public schools and the futures of the 50 million students in rural, suburban, and urban communities across America. We will continue to organize, advocate, and mobilize until all students have the opportunity to attend the well-resourced public schools where they can thrive," Pringle said.
The federal government is bloated and inefficient, and it's time for that to change. These workers don't want to lose their taxpayer-funded, cushy jobs, but it's well past time to address this issue, and Trump is eager to fulfill his promise to get it done.
