The Trump administration’s push to downsize the federal workforce has reached the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), resulting in job cuts among employees responsible for reviewing food safety, medical devices, and tobacco products.
According to multiple FDA sources speaking anonymously, probationary employees received termination notices over the weekend. The precise number of affected workers remains unclear, but the layoffs primarily impact staffers in the agency’s food, medical device, and tobacco oversight divisions. It is not yet known if personnel involved in drug review processes were spared.
The layoffs are part of a broader reduction within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which oversees the FDA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). On Friday, reports indicated that HHS planned to terminate approximately 5,200 probationary employees. Within the CDC, nearly 1,300 positions were initially expected to be cut, but as of Sunday, only about 700 employees had received notices.
FDA Commissioner Robert Califf and Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. have previously scrutinized the agency’s operations. Kennedy has criticized the FDA for its stance on alternative treatments, while also advocating for stricter food safety regulations. However, among those let go were employees responsible for reviewing the safety of new food additives and ingredients, raising concerns about the potential impact on regulatory processes.
A former FDA official warned that cutting newer employees could hinder the agency’s ability to recruit and retain skilled professionals. The FDA has historically struggled with hiring due to private-sector competition, with a 2022 Government Accountability Office report highlighting persistent recruitment challenges.
FDA’s regulatory operations, particularly its inspection force, have faced increased scrutiny in recent years. A backlog of uninspected drug manufacturing facilities—some dating back to before the COVID-19 pandemic—has raised concerns about oversight gaps. The agency has also been criticized for its handling of major consumer safety issues, including infant formula contamination and the regulation of e-cigarettes.
Critics argue that the job cuts could weaken the agency’s ability to protect public health. Former FDA tobacco director Mitch Zeller described the move as damaging to employee morale, warning that such actions could deter future talent from joining the agency. Others, like former FDA Associate Commissioner Peter Pitts, emphasized the importance of bringing in younger professionals with modern expertise to strengthen the agency’s capabilities.
