Trump Administration Carries Out Large-Scale Workforce Reductions
Controversy Over Layoffs of Avian Influenza Response Personnel
Egg Prices Reach $4.95 per Dozen in January, Up 53% Year-on-Year
Donald Trump, the President of the United States, who is undertaking government restructuring, has reportedly even laid off personnel responsible for responding to avian influenza (AI). Criticism has arisen as egg prices have surged due to the spread of avian influenza in the U.S.
A shopper is passing by a display of eggs for sale at a supermarket in California, USA. Photo by AFP Yonhap News
On the 16th (local time), the U.S. political media outlet Politico reported that "25% of the staff at the National Animal Health Laboratory Network Program Office under the U.S. Department of Agriculture were included in the large-scale federal employee layoffs by the Trump administration and were dismissed." This office coordinates the work of 58 research laboratories nationwide that respond to avian influenza. Although the staff consists of only 14 people, they play a crucial role in preventing the spread of animal diseases. As a result, some laboratories were reportedly notified that their response activities, such as avian influenza testing, would slow down following these layoffs.
Since the outbreak of avian influenza in 2022, 148 million egg-laying poultry, including chickens and ducks, have been culled in the U.S. The sharp rise in egg prices has also exacerbated inflation. According to U.S. Department of Labor consumer price statistics, the average retail price of a dozen grade A large eggs in the U.S. surged 15.2% month-over-month to $4.95 in January. This is a 53% increase compared to the previous year.
This has been analyzed as a burden on President Trump's pledge to control inflation, including food prices. According to the media outlet, Kevin Hassett, Chairman of the White House National Economic Council (NEC), said in a CBS interview, "Next week, together with Agriculture Secretary Brook Rollins, we will submit an avian influenza response plan to President Trump," adding, "The previous Joe Biden administration focused on culling, but the Trump administration will utilize biosecurity measures and pharmaceuticals."
On the 14th, a notice regarding egg supply was posted at a grocery store in Michigan, USA. Photo by AP Yonhap News.
Recently, President Trump has been carrying out bold federal workforce reductions. In this process, even personnel performing essential functions such as weapons inspectors were included in the layoffs, drawing criticism for excessive restructuring.
According to Reuters on the 14th, probationary employees with less than one year of service at federal agencies including the Department of the Interior, Department of Energy, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Agriculture, and Department of Health and Human Services were massively laid off. The number of layoffs by department includes 2,300 at the Department of the Interior, 1,200 to 2,000 at the Department of Energy, 3,400 at the Forest Service under the Department of Agriculture, over 1,000 at the Department of Veterans Affairs, and 1,300 employees, or 10% of the staff, at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) under the Department of Health and Human Services. The total number of layoffs across departments is estimated to reach up to 10,000. On the 11th, President Trump signed an executive order on federal government restructuring together with Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
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