Trump administration begins EPA staff cuts and targets ORD scientists

Shortly after President Trump's January 20, 2025 inauguration, the EPA began a wave of staff reductions that disproportionately affected the Office of Research and Development. Approximately 20 percent of the EPA workforce, primarily scientists, left the agency between early 2025 and mid-2026 through a combination of firings, forced retirements, and resignations. ORD had more than 1,500 staff at the start of the Trump second term; budget proposals for fiscal year 2026 cited by the Harvard Environmental and Energy Law Program left ORD unable to meet the science needs of the EPA and its partners.