Trump admin fires more health employees amid government shutdown

The Trump administration has fired more health employees during the ongoing government shutdown. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has declined to disclose the exact number of employees being let go, but the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) union claims that "thousands" are being terminated. The firings are part of the broader impact of the partial government shutdown, which has led to the furlough of federal workers and the scaling back of government services. The shutdown, which began on December 22, 2018, has been caused by a dispute over funding for President Trump's proposed border wall. The layoffs at HHS are likely to further strain the agency's ability to carry out its public health and welfare responsibilities, which include overseeing Medicare and Medicaid, as well as responding to disease outbreaks and natural disasters. The AFGE has criticized the administration's actions, arguing that the terminations are unnecessary and will harm vulnerable populations.