Johns Hopkins University has announced plans to eliminate over 2,200 jobs following the Trump administration’s decision to cut $800 million in grants previously allocated by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). This reduction represents the largest layoff in the university’s history, affecting 247 positions within the United States and 1,975 positions across 44 countries.
The job cuts will impact several key divisions of the university, including the Bloomberg School of Public Health, the School of Medicine, and the affiliated nonprofit organization Jhpiego, which focuses on international health initiatives. The university expressed deep concern over the funding termination, stating that it forces them to wind down critical work both domestically and internationally.
This development is part of a broader trend affecting higher education institutions across the United States. Several universities, including Harvard, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the University of California, San Diego, have implemented hiring freezes and other cost-saving measures in response to federal funding uncertainties. These financial strains threaten the academic and research integrity of these institutions and pose risks to job growth in higher education.
The reduction in USAID funding is expected to have significant implications for global health initiatives, particularly those targeting infectious diseases and women’s health in low-income countries. Johns Hopkins University and other research institutions anticipate further financial challenges and have initiated legal actions against the proposed budget reductions.
As the largest private employer in Maryland and Baltimore, Johns Hopkins University’s decision to cut over 2,000 jobs underscores the real-world impact of federal funding policies on employment and public health research.