On Tuesday, several senior leaders across the Department of Health and Human Services were put on leave, including the top scientist at the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases. 

Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo, who replaced Dr. Anthony Fauci upon his retirement in 2023, was among the myriad of officials within the National Institutes of Health to be offered different positions in the public health apparatus. 

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Fauci was the public face of COVID-19 policy during both the Trump and Biden administrations and was accused of having a hand in covering up key evidence during the early stages of the pandemic. On his last day in office, former President Joe Biden gave Fauci a blanket pardon for any potential crimes committed concerning his job at the NIH since 2014.

Marrazzo, according to the New York Times, was offered a position in Alaska as a key official at the Indian Health Service, an agency that Kennedy has said is a top priority of his administration. However, Marrazzo reportedly chose to step away from government service entirely instead of taking the IHS position.

Richard Ebright, a strong critic of Fauci and the viral research at NIAID, said Marrazzo’s “sole accomplishments during her failed short term were defending malfeasance, obstructing investigation, opposing transparency, and promoting DEI and LGBTQ+ ideologies.”

Fauci’s wife, Dr. Christine Grady of the NIH Office of Bioethics, and his close associate, Dr. Clifford Lane, were each also reportedly offered IHS positions. 

During his confirmation hearings and repeatedly since, Kennedy has said he wants to restore “gold standard” research at the NIH and Food and Drug Administration, which he contended have been corrupted by pharmaceutical and food corporation interests. 

All of President Donald Trump’s public health appointees have been tasked with restoring trust in federal health agencies following failed policies during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

However, the public health and scientific communities have expressed significant concerns about rapid changes, particularly at the NIH. 

Meanwhile, nearly 1,500 research scientists at universities nationwide published an open letter in the New York Times on Tuesday saying the “nation’s scientific enterprise is being decimated” by the Trump administration.

The new head of the NIH, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, was sworn into office early Tuesday morning. Bhattacharya sent an email later that day to staff regarding the layoffs, saying the changes would “have a profound impact on key N.I.H. administrative functions, including communications, legislative affairs, procurement and human resources.” 

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Kennedy has said the IHS has historically been relegated to the “redheaded stepchild” position at HHS, chronically receiving a lack of attention and funding. He has cited the work of his father, Robert Kennedy, and his uncle, former President John F. Kennedy, in his passion for serving the Native American community.

A spokesperson for the NIH directed the Washington Examiner to the main HHS media office for comment. HHS did not respond to the Washington Examiner’s request for comment at the time of publication.