Jim Jones, head of the food division at the Food and Drug Administration, has resigned, according to a source familiar with the matter. The division is tasked with ensuring that the country’s food supply is safe, overseeing inspections and recalls.
Jones’ resignation comes after the Trump administration last week cut thousands of federal workers, including some who worked at the FDA. The source didn’t provide a reason for Jones’ resignation.
The resignation was first reported by Bloomberg News.
It’s unclear whether Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who was sworn in Thursday, has an immediate replacement for Jones. Kennedy met with HHS staff Tuesday morning as part of a welcome ceremony, according to a second source.
Jones stepped in to lead the FDA’s food division in 2023, after three decades at the Environmental Protection Agency.
He most recently oversaw the Biden administration’s ban on the Red No. 3 dye in January, as well as the FDA’s investigation of contaminated applesauce linked to dozens of lead poisoning cases in children in late 2023 and the aftermath of the infant formula shortage.
Congress hasn’t yet confirmed a new FDA chief. President Donald Trump has picked Dr. Marty Makary, a pancreatic surgeon at Johns Hopkins University, to lead the agency.
When asked about Jones’ reported resignation on Tuesday morning, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement, “There are a number of bureaucrats who are resistant to the democratic process and mandate delivered by the American people.”
“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,” Leavitt said. “It’s not for everyone, and that’s okay.”
The FDA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The agency regulates about 77% of the U.S. food supply, according to an agency document.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture oversees meat and some egg products, and the two agencies work together on large recalls, such as the outbreaks linked to Boar’s Head deli meat and McDonald’s Quarter Pounders last year.
In an emailed statement, Scott Faber, senior vice president of government affairs at the Environmental Working Group, an advocacy group, said Jones’ 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,” Faber said.
Yamiche Alcindor contributed.