Jim Jones, the US Food and Drug Administration’s deputy commissioner for human foods, resigned due to the widespread layoffs at the agency imposed by the Trump Administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
US FDA Food Safety Leader Resigns In Protest Of White House-Ordered Layoffs
Jim Jones, the head of the FDA's food programs, resigned due to widespread layoffs at the agency imposed by the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency.

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In his resignation letter, the CBER director said he was willing to work with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to address concerns about vaccine safety, but "it has become clear that truth and transparency are not desired by the secretary."
The April departures of Paul Kluetz and Marc Theoret follow resignations by other senior agency scientific staff and come on top of HHS’ plans to lay off 3,500 FDA employees.
About 3,500 full-time FDA employees are expected to be laid off as part of a restructuring of the Health and Human Services Department and experts questioned whether the cuts could be implemented without harming FDA’s core mission.
The General Services Administration’s updated list of “assets identified for accelerated disposition” does not include any buildings at the agency’s headquarters in White Oak, MD after its original list of “non-core” government properties for disposal had more than half the buildings on campus.
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The General Services Administration’s updated list of “assets identified for accelerated disposition” does not include any buildings at the agency’s headquarters in White Oak, MD after its original list of “non-core” government properties for disposal had more than half the buildings on campus.
FDA staffing cuts are making negotiation preparations more difficult, but also could mean the result is a smaller user fee renewal package.
Stakeholders are pleading for newly confirmed FDA Commissioner Martin Makary to stand up for the agency's high scientific standards and staff as he begins his term.