The head of the Food and Drug Administration's food division, Jim Jones, has resigned, citing the "indiscriminate firing" of 89 staff members.
Jones, who served as the deputy commissioner for human food, submitted his resignation letter on Monday, stating that the mass firings would severely impact the agency's ability to ensure food safety in the US.
In his resignation letter addressed to the FDA's acting commissioner, Jones expressed his concerns.
"I was looking forward to working to pursue the Department's agenda of improving the health of Americans by reducing diet-related chronic disease and risks from chemicals in food," he wrote, accordin to The Hill.
"It has been increasingly clear that with the Trump Administration's disdain for the very people necessary to implement your agenda, however, it would have been fruitless for me to continue in this role," he continued.
Among the terminated employees were experts in nutrition, infant formula safety, and the review of potentially harmful food ingredients. According to AP News, these layoffs could set back efforts to improve food safety regulations and nutrition policies.
FDA Faces Uncertain Future
Jones, who joined the FDA in 2022 in the wake of a nationwide infant formula shortage, played a crucial role in reforming food safety policies.
Most recently, he oversaw the ban on the controversial food dye Red No. 3 during the final days of the Biden administration.
The FDA has not yet issued an official response to Jones's resignation. However, Scott Faber, senior vice president of government affairs at the Environmental Working Group, called Jones's departure "a huge step backward for the FDA and the safety of our food."
Faber urged the administration to reconsider the staffing cuts and encourage Jones to return to complete the reforms he started.
This development comes amid broader concerns over government restructuring and layoffs within multiple federal agencies. The situation remains fluid, with legal challenges mounting over the authority behind the firings. A federal judge is expected to rule on the matter soon.
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