FDA Food Division Chief Resigns Over 'Indiscriminate' Layoffs

Jim Jones, head of the FDA's food division, resigned citing 'indiscriminate' layoffs of 89 staff members, including experts in nutrition and infant formula safety. His resignation letter criticized the Trump administration's disdain for the personnel needed to enforce food safety reforms, making his role 'fruitless.' This move follows the administration's broader effort to cut federal workforce size, impacting the FDA's ability to protect public health. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the cuts, suggesting resistance among bureaucrats to Trump's 'America First Agenda.' Jones, who had overseen the ban on Red No. 3 dye, expressed concerns about the agency's future regulatory progress. The FDA did not comment on the situation.