Kemp On CDC Mass Layoffs: Fed Government Could Use 'Rightsizing'

ATLANTA, GA — GOP Gov. Brian Kemp recently responded to President Donald Trump and Elon Musk's latest move, which reportedly left nearly 1,300 CDC probationary workers jobless following layoffs.

The headquarters for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are housed in Atlanta, where Musk's Department of Government Efficiency led the recent job cuts that were reportedly part of Trump's broader effort to downsize the federal government.

The agency’s leadership was notified of the decision Friday morning. The verbal notice came from Department of Health and Human Services officials in a meeting with CDC leaders, according to a federal official who was at the meeting.

Some portion of the affected employees were supposed to receive four weeks paid administrative leave, according to the federal official and an audio recording of the meeting.

Those being fired included all first-year officers — about 50 in total — in the CDC’s Epidemic Intelligence Service, according to two agency employees who communicated with some of the affected staffers.

Kemp, who visited the Munich Security Conference during the weekend, shared with Politico his sentiments on the firings and Georgia's workforce growth.

“I know they have some layoffs at the CDC and other things, but government can stand a little rightsizing," he said. "... But we are doing more work because we got more efficient with technology. We are paying our people more. So instead of hiring people at the same pay rate, we are paying people more, keeping the same numbers but doing more work because we are using technology. Why can’t the federal government do that?”

An Atlanta-North Georgia Labor Council protest was planned for Tuesday afternoon at the CDC's main entrance, Fox 5 Atlanta reported.

Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene seemingly responded to the protest alongside a 5-second video clip, claiming there were threats "to kill President Trump and Elon Musk for securing our border and DOGE."

"These aren’t protestors," Greene tweeted on Tuesday. "These are government employees who are the resistance to saving America."

Her congressional counterpart, U.S. Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) fired at the Trump administration for the layoffs.

"Our nation's top scientists and researchers are being shown the door to pay for the ultra-wealthy's tax cuts," Warnock tweeted. "Once again, the Trump administration is compromising national security and safety of Americans in favor of unelected billionaires."

The firings were part of the Trump administration's efforts to terminate

The CDC is centered on safeguarding the U.S. from health, safety and security threats, according to its website.

The Associated Press contributed reporting and writing.