The Evening: 10,000 jobs cut at U.S. health agency

Also, Canada's leader vowed to retaliate against U.S. auto tariffs.

View in browser|nytimes.com March 27, 2025 By Matthew Cullen Good evening. Here's the latest at the end of Thursday. Mass layoffs at H.H.S. Canada's response to U.S. tariffs Plus, Jack Whitten's MoMA show Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the health secretary. Eric Lee/The New York Times U.S. health agency announced a drastic reduction The Trump administration announced today that it would lay off about 10,000 employees at the Health and Human Services Department and reshape it under the priorities of the health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Together with previous buyouts and resignations, the agency — which provides oversight of medical care, food and drugs — will have seen its staff shrink by nearly a quarter in the early months of the administration. The major reduction will cut especially deep at two agencies within the department that have been in Kennedy's sights: the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Both are expected to lose roughly 20 percent of their staff members from the latest cuts. The restructuring is intended to bring communications and other functions directly under Kennedy. Stunned employees struggled to absorb the news, and some expressed concern that the cuts could threaten public health and safety. The move continued President Trump's effort to downsize the federal bureaucracy sharply. Another cutback that my colleagues reported today: A crackdown on FEMA, which has been targeted by Elon Musk, effectively froze billions of dollars in disaster grants. Other cuts: The Justice Department is considering merging its drug and gun agencies in a broader downsize. Mark Carney, Canada's prime minister. Dave Chan/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Canada's leader vowed to retaliate against U.S. auto tariffs When Trump announced yesterday that he would soon impose a 25 percent tariff on imported cars, he cast it as a way to bring factory jobs back to the U.S. Canada's prime minister today described the levies as a threat to Canadian workers and promised retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods. "We will respond forcefully," Prime Minister Mark Carney said. "It is clear that the United States is no longer a reliable partner." The tariffs would raise prices by thousands of dollars for American consumers, but it's not yet clear which models will be affected the most and when prices will rise. Some automakers have enough vehicles in storage to last a month or two while they prepare for the new fees. In other politics news: Trump asked Representative Elise Stefanik to stay in Congress rather than serve as ambassador to the U.N., amid concern over the slim G.O.P. House majority. The elite law firm Skadden Arps held talks with the White House to cut a deal to avert an executive order and protect its business. Attorney General Pam Bondi suggested that a criminal inquiry into the sharing of military plans in an unsecured chat was unlikely. The Trump administration's disclosure of sensitive information on a Signal chat angered and bewildered U.S. military pilots. The E.P.A. offered a way to avoid clean-air rules: send an email. The Trump administration said a new California law protecting transgender students from unwanted disclosures to their parents violated federal law. A progressive congressman wants to take on Vice President JD Vance. A protest in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza, yesterday.  Saher Alghorra for The New York Times Protesters in Gaza demanded an end to Hamas rule On each of the last three days, hundreds of people have marched down streets in Gaza to protest the war and demand an end of Hamas's 18-year-old rule. The rare displays of dissent against the armed group were catalyzed in part by an Israeli airstrike this week in Beit Lahia. Most of the protests have been small, but they represent the boldest challenge to Hamas's authority by Gazans since the October 2023 attack on Israel and the ensuing war. In other news from the region: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's allies in Israel's Parliament gave politicians more power to choose judges, resuming a political overhaul that has divided the country. The so-called pedophile hunters often videotape their confrontations.  Online 'pedophile hunters' are growing more violent For nearly a decade, a number of American vigilantes known as "pedophile hunters" have posed as minors on dating apps and targeted the adults who messaged them. Many of them who were inspired by the television series "To Catch a Predator" expose their targets on social media. In the past two years, a growing number of the "hunters" have gone a step further and violently attacked the targets in their videos. A New York Times analysis found more than 170 such attacks since 2023. More top news Abortion: A New York State court blocked Texas from filing a summons against a New York doctor for prescribing and sending abortion pills to a Texas woman. Ukraine: As cease-fire talks proceed, fighting on the front lines is still intense, and soldiers are skeptical about the negotiations. Red Sea: A submarine carrying Russian tourists sank off Egypt's coast, leaving at least six people dead, according to the Russian Embassy and local news. South Korea: Wildfires have burned 88,000 acres and two 1,000-year-old Buddhist temples, while forcing 37,000 people from their homes and leaving 27 people dead. Mississippi: A sheriff whose department had been under federal investigation for torturing people staffed his mother's commercial chicken farm with inmates. Germany: Tens of thousands of war graves are uncovered every year, many belonging to Nazi soldiers. A little known organization is responsible for their reburial. Science: Researchers in New Zealand have recorded what they believe is the first instance of a shark actively making noise. Listen in. Egypt: Archaeologists found the enormous tomb of an unknown pharaoh, who most likely belonged a line of kings once lost to history. Hollywood: Three years ago, David Zaslav promised to revive Warner Bros. by focusing on theatrical releases. It hasn't gone well. TIME TO UNWIND Jack Whitten, "9.11.01." Ahmed Gaber for The New York Times A peak MoMA moment Over nearly six decades, the artist Jack Whitten's work was propelled by experimentation. He called every studio he worked in a "laboratory," and he found inventive ways to challenge convention. For the next several months, the Museum of Modern Art is featuring a sweeping retrospective of Whitten's career. The title piece is an example of radical vision; it's a painting that's built, not brushed. Read why our art critic says the MoMA show is great and scintillating. The New York Times Are you smarter than A.I.? In recent years, artificial intelligence researchers have created puzzles to track the progress of A.I. development. They were designed to be easy for humans but hard for the machines. But as A.I. has improved, the gap has been closing and new measures of intelligence have had to be developed. Try these puzzles to see how far the machines have to go. Scott Suchman for The New York Times Dinner table topics Sit, stay, say goodbye: Volunteer "puppy raisers" are chipping away at a shortage of service dogs, one short-term adoption at a time. "Tender Is the Night": F. Scott Fitzgerald twice wrote about a drunken brawl he had in Rome. New documents offered something closer to the actual truth. Basketball star: Boogie Fland might be the latest in a line of legendary New York City point guards. Ask the therapist: My daughter's stepfather is walking her down the aisle. Can I skip the wedding? WHAT TO DO TONIGHT Ghazalle Badiozamani for The New York Times Cook: These crispy mushroom tacos are a true delight. Watch: Naomi Watts pairs up with a Great Dane in "The Friend," a Times Critic's Pick. Cheer: Today is baseball's Opening Day. These are the biggest story lines of the season. Listen: Check out a new take on Wynton Marsalis's "Blues Symphony" and four other classical albums. Plan: We have recommendations for spending 36 hours in Budapest. Improve: Wirecutter spent nine months testing 128 skin-care products. Here are the winners. Hunt: Which live-in boat would you buy with a $350,000 budget? Play: Here are today's Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all of our games here. ONE LAST THING Sasha Arutyunova for The New York Times Mind-boggling finger art Mei Kawajiri paints nails for a living, but she insists that she's not a manicurist. Instead, Kawajiri carefully sculpts extravagant 3-D objects to be worn atop one's nails. She's made swan nails, bikini nails, dirty-sock nails and croissant nails, among many other eye-catching looks. She now makes hotel calls to celebrities like Cardi B, Heidi Klum and Ariana Grande, and she has worked with major fashion brands like Balenciaga and Louis Vuitton. Have a showy evening. Thanks for reading. I'll be back tomorrow. — Matthew Philip Pacheco was our photo editor today. We welcome your feedback. Write to us at evening@nytimes.com. Writer: Matthew Cullen Editors: Carole Landry, Whet Moser, Justin Porter Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for The Evening from The New York Times. To stop receiving The Evening, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018