Johns Hopkins University announces 2,200 layoffs due to USAID funding cuts

By lauraharris // 2025-03-21

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Johns Hopkins University is eliminating over 2,200 positions worldwide, including 1,975 employees across 44 countries and 247 in the U.S., following the termination of $800 million in funding from USAID. This significantly impacts its Bloomberg School of Public Health, School of Medicine and Jhpiego, a global health nonprofit.
The funding loss will disrupt over 600 ongoing clinical trials and force the wind-down of vital public health initiatives, including maternal and infant care, disease prevention and clean water projects, both domestically and internationally.
The layoffs are part of a larger trend of federal funding cuts, including reductions to NIH grants, which have already forced some universities to halt research projects and reduce their workforce.
Johns Hopkins is also facing federal scrutiny over campus safety, particularly regarding antisemitism. The U.S. Department of Education has warned the university and others to address safety concerns for Jewish students amid ongoing pro-Palestinian protests or risk losing federal funding.
The university's struggles with funding cuts and campus safety concerns reflect broader national discussions about the role of federal funding in higher education and the balance between free speech and student safety.

Johns Hopkins University has announced that it is eliminating more than 2,200 positions worldwide in response to the termination of $800 million funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The layoffs, which include 1,975 employees across 44 countries and 247 in the United States, mark a significant blow to one of the nation's leading research institutions. (Related: 20 State AGs sue Trump administration over mass layoffs.) It will primarily affect the Bloomberg School of Public Health, the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Jhpiego, a global health nonprofit affiliated with the university. Jhpiego, founded over 50 years ago, has been a leader in improving health outcomes for women and children worldwide, managing hundreds of millions of dollars in grants from USAID and other federal and philanthropic sources. These entities have been at the forefront of groundbreaking public health research and international health initiatives, many of which rely heavily on federal funding. "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," Johns Hopkins said. "Johns Hopkins is immensely proud of the work done by our colleagues in Jhpiego, the Bloomberg School of Public Health and the School of Medicine to care for mothers and infants, fight disease, provide clean drinking water and advance countless other critical, life-saving efforts around the world." Moreover, Johns Hopkins warned that the loss of funding will disrupt more than 600 ongoing clinical trials, many of which were supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The university emphasized that the cuts will have far-reaching consequences, both locally and globally, as critical research and health programs are forced to wind down.

Johns Hopkins faces dual crisis – federal funding cuts and campus safety scrutiny

The funding cuts stem from broader shifts in federal priorities. In February, the Trump administration announced significant reductions to NIH grants, which could slash over $100 million in funding for research institutions. While some of these cuts have been temporarily delayed by a court challenge, the impact has already been felt, with some universities halting projects and others, like Johns Hopkins, facing severe workforce reductions. Aside from grants reduction, the layoffs also come at a time when Johns Hopkins is also grappling with federal scrutiny over campus safety. On March 10, the U.S. Department of Education sent a letter to 60 colleges, including Johns Hopkins, warning that they could lose federal funding if they fail to address antisemitism on campus. The letter cited concerns over the safety of Jewish students amid ongoing pro-Palestinian protests and called on university leaders to take stronger action. "The Department is deeply disappointed that Jewish students studying on elite U.S. campuses continue to fear for their safety amid the relentless antisemitic eruptions that have severely disrupted campus life for more than a year. University leaders must do better," Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said. The dual challenges of funding cuts and campus safety concerns have placed Johns Hopkins at the center of a broader national conversation about the role of federal funding in higher education and the balance between free speech and student safety. Learn more about the collapse of vital sectors of the American economy at Collapse.news. Watch this video of financial expert Gregory Mannarino discussing how corporate layoffs are increasing in preparation for a severe economic downturn.

This video is from the High Hopes channel on Brighteon.com.

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Johns Hopkins faces dual crisis – federal funding cuts and campus safety scrutiny

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