Remember when the government actually shrinking seemed like a fantasy? Well, pinch yourself, because it’s happening. The Trump administration’s bold “drain the swamp” promises are turning into reality as federal agencies face the budget-cutting guillotine. Leading this charge is the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has been putting agencies on strict financial diets since day one of Trump’s return to office.
Many conservatives wondered if Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – with his Democratic family legacy – would actually follow through with Trump’s government-slimming agenda at Health and Human Services. After all, Kennedy spent decades as a Democrat before his surprising alliance with Trump. But guess what? RFK Jr. is proving to be one of the administration’s most enthusiastic swamp-drainers.
Kennedy’s HHS announced Tuesday that mass layoffs are underway as part of a major restructuring effort that will shrink the department’s workforce from a bloated 82,000 employees down to a more reasonable 62,000. That’s 20,000 fewer federal health bureaucrats on the taxpayers’ dime. The Associated Press reported hundreds of federal health employees were lined up outside the HHS building Tuesday morning, waiting to learn if they still had jobs.
From ‘Fox News’:
“We aren’t just reducing bureaucratic sprawl. We are realigning the organization with its core mission and our new priorities in reversing the chronic disease epidemic,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. said in a statement. “This Department will do more – a lot more – at a lower cost to the taxpayer.”
The Bureaucratic Biggest Loser: HHS Edition
The restructuring isn’t just about cutting staff – it’s about fundamentally redesigning how the department operates. HHS says the streamlining will save American taxpayers a whopping $1.8 billion annually while ensuring essential services like Medicare and Medicaid continue without disruption.
Under Kennedy’s plan, the sprawling bureaucracy will be trimmed down substantially, with HHS divisions slashed from 28 to just 15. Regional offices are being consolidated from 10 down to 5, eliminating layers of redundancy that have built up over decades.
Former FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf seemed less than thrilled with the changes, writing on LinkedIn that “the FDA as we’ve known it is finished” and lamenting that “most of the leaders with institutional knowledge and a deep understanding of product development and safety no longer employed.” But isn’t that exactly the point? The old bureaucracy clearly wasn’t working.
Slim Government, Fat Savings: The Kennedy Efficiency Plan
One of the key innovations in Kennedy’s restructuring is the creation of the Administration for a Healthy America (AHA), which will combine several existing agencies including the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
“Over time, bureaucracies like HHS become wasteful and inefficient even when most of their staff are dedicated and competent civil servants,” Kennedy explained. The restructuring is designed to eliminate these redundancies while maintaining and even improving essential services.
The department is also establishing a new assistant secretary for enforcement role specifically tasked with tackling fraud and abuse in federal health programs – something that has drained billions from taxpayers for years. By consolidating overlapping functions and eliminating bureaucratic silos, Kennedy believes HHS can actually do more with less.
Less DEI, More Vitamin C: America’s Health Makeover
Perhaps most significant is Kennedy’s refocusing of HHS priorities. While the previous administration poured resources into divisive diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, Kennedy is redirecting attention to what he calls America’s “epidemic of chronic illness.”
The department will now emphasize clean food, water, and air while working to eliminate environmental toxins – a focus that actually aligns with Kennedy’s longstanding environmental advocacy. The CDC will also gain additional authority by absorbing the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, enhancing America’s ability to respond to public health emergencies.
“This overhaul will be a win-win for taxpayers and for those that HHS serves. That’s the entire American public, because our goal is to Make America Healthy Again,” Kennedy stated. The restructuring aligns perfectly with President Trump’s broader government efficiency mandate while addressing genuine public health concerns.
For the average American, this means health agencies that focus on actual health priorities rather than social engineering, while costing you less in taxes. And with a projected $1.8 billion in annual savings, it’s proof that good government doesn’t have to mean big government.
Key Takeaways:
- HHS is cutting 20,000 federal jobs and saving taxpayers $1.8 billion annually under Kennedy’s restructuring plan.
- Kennedy is consolidating 28 divisions into 15, eliminating bureaucratic redundancy while maintaining essential services.
- The department is refocusing from DEI initiatives to addressing chronic disease and environmental health under “Make America Healthy Again.”
Sources: Fox News
