Several employees at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) responsible for reviewing Elon Musk’s brain implant company, Neuralink, were among those dismissed over the weekend as part of a broad federal workforce reduction, Reuters has reported.

The cuts affected approximately 20 staff members in the FDA’s Office of Neurological and Physical Medicine Devices, including multiple employees involved in reviewing clinical trial applications for Neuralink and other companies working on brain-computer interface technology.

The dismissals, which come amid a wider effort to cut federal spending, have raised concerns about the agency’s ability to efficiently oversee medical device approvals, including those related to Neuralink.

Two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters the employees were not specifically targeted for their work on Neuralink, but the loss of personnel could slow the agency’s capacity to assess applications in the field of neurotechnology.

Victor Krauthamer, a former FDA official who previously served as acting director of the office responsible for reviewing human-trial requests for brain implants, said the cuts could have significant consequences.

“It’s intimidating to the FDA professionals who are overseeing Neuralink’s trial,” Krauthamer said. “We should be worried about the whole trial, and the protection of the people in the trial.”

The affected employees, many of whom were probationary and had less than two years of service, were officially dismissed for performance reasons, according to sources. However, the sources also noted that the employees had received strong performance evaluations in recent weeks.

Supervisors of the dismissed employees were reportedly not consulted before the layoffs and only learned of the firings after their subordinates were notified.

Neuralink is currently conducting early-stage clinical trials on its brain implant, which is designed to allow paralyzed individuals to control digital devices using only their thoughts.

The company is also developing a second implant aimed at restoring vision for blind individuals. The FDA granted that device a breakthrough designation last year, a status intended to expedite the development and regulatory review process.

The firings come amid Musk’s broader push to reduce federal spending, particularly in agencies that regulate his businesses, including Tesla, SpaceX, and Neuralink. Musk, who has spent more than $250 million to support Donald Trump’s re-election campaign, has been a vocal proponent of government cost-cutting measures.

Trump has stated that Musk will recuse himself from any potential conflicts of interest involving his business interests and federal regulatory actions.

The FDA layoffs add to growing scrutiny over Neuralink’s trials, which have already faced ethical and regulatory concerns, including questions about the company's treatment of test animals and its compliance with safety protocols.

With fewer FDA staff available to oversee the approval process, experts worry that the agency’s ability to ensure the safety and efficacy of Neuralink’s technology could be compromised.