CDC Reels From Wave of Firings Amid Security Concerns and Budget Cuts
ATLANTA – Teh Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is facing a crisis of stability as a series of government actions, including important staff reductions and a recent attack on its Atlanta headquarters, have left the agency reeling. Just 29 days into Mandy Cohen’s tenure as CDC director, the agency has been rocked by the dismissal of over 150 violence and injury prevention specialists, as well as staff within the Office of Safety, Security and Asset Management – the department responsible for agency security.
These firings follow a shooting in late August where a gunman fired 500 bullets at the CDC campus, resulting in the death of a police officer and widespread fear among staff already grappling with unprecedented policy changes and concerns about the politicization of public health. The recent cuts compound earlier reductions in force initiated earlier this year as part of broader White House efforts to shrink the federal government, resulting in the loss of 2,400 staff – 18% of the agency – in April.
The dismissal of violence prevention specialists is particularly concerning given the backdrop of escalating gun violence and the CDC’s role in researching and mitigating its impact. The agency has also been targeted by budget cuts since the start of the year. According to a fired CDC official, staff are actively resisting the changes, “organizing, sharing data, building networks across centers and regions.”
“This isn’t April 2025. People have learned. They’re organizing, sharing information, building networks across centers and regions. Federal scientists and staff understand what’s at stake, and they’re not going quietly,” the official said.”They’re fighting back – through lawful means, through solidarity, and through truthtelling. The era of silent dismantling is over.”
some of the CDC firings initially announced on Friday appeared to have been rescinded as of Saturday evening. the situation remains fluid, and Congress is being urged to intervene and exercise its oversight authority.
