Johns Hopkins University announced Thursday that it will eliminate over 2,000 positions both in the U.S. and abroad, a decision driven by the recent termination of $800 million in grants from the US Agency for International Development (USAID), which severely impacted the university’s funding.
The majority of the layoffs will affect international employees, with 1,975 positions being cut across 44 countries. In addition, 247 jobs in the U.S. are also being terminated. The university will also implement reduced schedules for approximately 100 more employees who will be furloughed, reported CNN.
“This is a difficult day for our entire community. The termination of more than $800 million in USAID funding is now forcing us to wind down critical work here in Baltimore and internationally,” the Maryland-based university stated.
The job cuts will primarily affect the university’s Bloomberg School of Public Health, its medical school, and its affiliated non-profit organization, Jhpiego, Reuters reported.
The layoffs, described as the largest in the university’s history, will affect areas including major research centers focused on public health, disease prevention, and maternal health.
Trump Administration’s Efforts At Downsizing
The latest job cuts are part of a broader strategy by President Donald Trump’s administration to restructure federal agencies, including a significant downsizing of the USAID.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently announced plans to cancel 83% of USAID‘s programs, with the intention of integrating the remaining ones under the State Department.
Johns Hopkins University has expressed concern over the loss of funding, as it receives approximately 50% of its financial support from federal government grants.
University president Ronald Daniels highlighted that the significant reduction in USAID funding would directly impact the institution’s budgets, personnel, and programs, both domestically and internationally.
“Given what we are seeing, it is necessary to plan for challenges ahead,” Daniels said, adding, “We have little choice but to reduce some of our work in response to the slowing and stopping of grants and to adjust to an evolving legal landscape.”
Since taking office, President Trump, with the support of billionaire Elon Musk, has pursued a policy agenda aimed at dismantling USAID.
Uncertainty For U.S. Higher Education Institutions
Johns Hopkins’ decision to cut jobs and scale back its research efforts comes amid growing unease within U.S. higher education institutions about the future of federal funding.
Recently, the Trump administration pulled $400 million funds from prestigious institutions, such as Columbia University, citing the school’s failure to curb antisemitism on campus.
Furthermore, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has moved to reduce the maximum payments research institutions can request for infrastructure costs, a change that scientists warn could harm the U.S.’s position as a global research leader. Several universities, including Johns Hopkins, has filed a lawsuit to block these cuts.
