NSF and FDA Face Major Workforce Reductions

The National Science Foundation (NSF) and the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine have both experienced significant layoffs under President Trump's executive order aimed at reducing the federal workforce. At NSF, 168 employees, including probationary and permanent workers, were terminated without severance, raising concerns about the future of scientific research and grant evaluations. Similarly, layoffs at the FDA's veterinary medicine division could compromise regulation of drug safety and efficacy for animals, impacting public health standards for animal-related food products. These workforce reductions underscore the broader impact of the administration's efficiency-driven federal downsizing, sparking fears over the long-term implications for scientific and regulatory functions.