According to a document seen by Bloomberg News, Jim Jones, the head of the US Food and Drug Administration’s food division who oversaw the agency’s ban of the food dye Red No. 3 earlier this year, resigned on Monday, citing agency-wide cuts that he said would make it difficult to implement the kinds of changes the Trump administration is seeking.
Jim Jones, who led the US Food and Drug Administration’s food division and was responsible for the agency’s earlier this year ban on the food dye Red No. 3, resigned on Monday, citing agency-wide cuts that he said would make it difficult to carry out the kinds of reforms the Trump administration.
He said in a resignation letter to Acting FDA Commissioner Sara Brenner
“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,”.
Jones also said that given the new administration’s
“disdain for the very people” needed to make these changes, it would be “fruitless for me to continue in this role.”
Jones suggested laying off the 89 staffers in the food division, will going to cut he called it“indiscriminate.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said some “bureaucrats” are resistant to the “mandate delivered by the American people.”
She also said it in an email.
“President Trump is only interested in the best and most qualified people who are also willing to implement his America First Agenda on behalf of the American people,”
“It’s not for everyone, and that’s okay.”
The FDA didn’t respond to a request for comment.
The staffers laid off over the weekend have the employees with “highly technical expertise in nutrition, infant formula, food safety response.” According to the letter assertions, ten employees who were involved in the review of possibly hazardous food components were let go.
Although the FDA’s head has not yet been confirmed, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy was sworn in on Thursday.
Brian Ronholm, director of food policy at Consumer Reports, called these firings in the FDA’s food division “disjointed and disruptive,” particularly in light of the agency’s anticipated focus on chemical components in the food supply given Kennedy’s stated position on the matter.
Earlier this year, under former President Joe Biden, Jones spearheaded the agency’s successful campaign to outlaw red dye No. 3.
The Environmental Working Group’s senior vice president of government affairs, Scott Faber, stated Jones’s departure will “set back efforts to make food safer,”.
“There is no one on earth who can replace the chemical safety expertise that Jim brought to this job.”
