Kennedy Jr. told ABC News some programs would soon be reinstated because they were mistakenly cut. "We're streamlining the agencies. We're going to make it work for public health, make it work for the American people,

Kennedy said the aim was to cut redundancies in "administrative sections" by consolidating dozens of IT, HR and communications departments.

HHS administers health insurance programs that affect nearly half the U.S. population, including Medicare and Medicaid, and regulates medical products and food. Critics warn that the scale of the cuts could jeopardize disease response capacity, scientific research, and regulatory oversight.