Trump Administration's Cuts to FDA Employees Raises Concerns

 President Donald Trump administration's push to downsize the federal government has reached the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), resulting in layoffs that raises concerns over the oversight of food safety and medical devices.

Newsweek has reached out to the FDA and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) via email for comment.

Why It Matters

Financial cuts to the FDA could have serious consequences for food and public safety as it could impact recalls that are delayed or not released. It comes as more Americans became sick from contaminated food last year, with the number of hospitalizations and deaths from foodborne illness doubling compared to 2023.

The number of recalls because of listeria, salmonella or E. coli increased significantly in 2024 and comprised about 40 percent of all recalls for the FDA and U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) combined, according to the U.S. Public Interest Research Group.

What To Know

According to the Associated Press, citing three FDA staffers on the condition of anonymity, probationary employees across the FDA received notices Saturday evening that their jobs were being eliminated.

While the total number of positions eliminated remains unclear as of Sunday afternoon, the firings appeared to focus on employees in the agency's centers for food, medical devices and tobacco products. In addition, it is unclear whether FDA employees who review drugs were exempted from the layoffs.

The move comes as part of a broader effort by the HHS to reduce its workforce, which includes the FDA, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). On Friday, HHS announced that 5,200 probationary employees across these agencies would be terminated.

At the CDC alone, nearly 1,300 workers were expected to be laid off, though as of Sunday, around 700 had received notices, according to the AP.

The layoffs come as the FDA employs nearly 20,000 people and has long been in the crosshairs of newly appointed HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

A vocal critic of the agency, Kennedy Jr. has accused the FDA of suppressing alternative medical treatments, including psychedelics, stem cell therapies, and chelation treatments. He has also advocated for banning thousands of chemicals and additives from U.S. foods.

In November, Kennedy Jr. said he will clear out "entire departments" of the FDA.

FDA Concerns Remain

The latest wave of layoffs comes as it includes staff responsible for assessing the safety of new food additives and ingredients, according to the AP, citing an FDA staffer familiar with the firings, raising concerns about potential regulatory gaps.

While the FDA's budget of $6.9 billion is partially funded by the government, nearly half comes from industry fees paid by pharmaceutical and medical device companies. Critics say that eliminating these positions will not only lead to major budgetary savings but could slow regulatory processes.

Some experts warn that the layoffs disproportionately impact newer employees with cutting-edge technical expertise. The Government Accountability Office has previously flagged the FDA's difficulties in attracting and retaining top talent, as higher-paying private-sector jobs remain more competitive.

Mitch Zeller, former FDA director for tobacco, told the AP the firings are a way to "demoralize and undermine the spirit of the federal workforce."

"The combined effect of what they're trying to do is going to destroy the ability to recruit and retain talent," Zeller said.

In addition, the FDA's inspection workforce—already under strain following mass resignations during the COVID-19 pandemic—could be particularly hard hit. It remains unclear whether the most recent hires in this division were spared from the cuts.

According to the AP last year, the agency has struggled with inspection backlogs reporting that approximately 2,000 drug manufacturing facilities had not been inspected since before the pandemic.

The FDA has also come under fire for slow responses to safety concerns, including contamination issues in baby food, infant formula shortages, and tainted eye drops.

What People Are Saying

Kevin Thompson, a finance expert and the founder and CEO of 9i Capital Group, previously told Newsweek: "The cuts impact not just the FDA but the government as a whole. Many fail to recognize that regulatory systems exist because capitalism has, at times, fallen short in protecting consumers. When that happens, the government steps in as a safeguard against corporate overreach."

Teresa Murray, the consumer watchdog director of the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, previously told Newsweek: "Most food recalls are driven by three things: testing by companies and regulators, inspections by state and federal regulators and people seeking medical care. Anything that affects the FDA's ability to do random food testing, conduct site inspections or work on investigations in outbreaks would be concerning."

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said during a November interview on MSNBC: "In some categories, there are entire departments, like the nutrition department at the FDA that are – that have to go, that are not doing their job, they're not protecting our kids."

He added at the Senate hearing this month: "Should I be so privileged as to be confirmed, we will make sure our tax dollars support healthy foods. We will scrutinize the chemical additives in our food supply. We will remove financial conflicts of interest from our agencies. We will create an honest, unbiased, gold standard science at HHS, accountable to the president, to Congress, and to the American people. We will reverse the chronic disease epidemic and put the nation back on the road to good health."

What Happens Next?

While it's unclear how many employees were impacted by the layoffs, experts warn that delays in inspections and product reviews could further raise concern.

Further cuts could be expected as Trump previously said he wants to significantly cut down government spending.