A series of recent high-level appointments at the FDA and the Department of Health and Human Services is raising concerns among policy observers, who warn that layoffs, political consolidation and deregulatory initiatives could heighten risks across the US food system.
Last week, HHS Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr announced “several enhancements to his management team” at HHS to “accelerate adoption of President Trump’s Great Healthcare Plan and the Make America Healthy again agenda.”
These appointments include Chris Klomp as chief counselor at HHS and Kyle Diamantas and Grace Graham as senior counselors for FDA.
At the center of the debate is Kyle Diamantas, who was appointed as the deputy commissioner of HHS, replacing Jim Jones. Jones resigned last year following mass federal layoffs under the Trump administration.
As deputy commissioner, Diamantas oversees roughly 80% of the American food supply, including infant formula. The role sets national food safety strategy, allocates resources, establishes priorities and oversees inspections and investigations – at a time when the Human Foods Program has lost dozens of staff. Diamantas’ role is expected to influence decisions on food additives, labeling standards, infant formula oversight and broader regulatory reform initiatives.
A politically fraught appointment
Before joining FDA, Diamantas was a corporate attorney at Jones Day, where he represented Abbott Nutrition during its 2022 Cronobacter-linked infant formula crisis. The outbreak led to widespread recalls and a $495 million settlement, which Abbott is appealing.
Several lawmakers, including Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) and public health advocates have criticized Diamantas’ move from defending Abbott to overseeing regulation of the same company as a potential conflict of interest. Diamantas has said he will recuse himself from Abbott-related matters, according to the New York Times.
In a 2025 Politico interview, Diamantas acknowledged FDA’s “struggle with resources,” noting that constrained capacity had contributed to a wave of state-led food additive bans.
His legal background – rather than technical food safety expertise – signals a shift in the agency’s leadership profile, according to Environmental Health News.
A New York Times article questioned whether Diamantas has the qualifications to oversee the majority of the US food supply.
His appointment as HHS deputy commissioner came after 89 staff members were reportedly fired from the Human Foods division and during an active Listeria outbreak linked to at least 12 deaths, amplifying concern over the agency’s operational capacity.
Environmental Health News and other watchdog outlets have warned that politically connected appointees could undermine FDA’s independence at a time when food safety challenges are intensifying.
Adding to the controversy are reports of Diamantas’ ties to Donald Trump Jr, a relationship described by Politico as a “hunting buddy,” which critics say fuels concerns about political patronage in a critical regulatory role.
FoodNavigator-USA reached out to FDA and HHS for comment about the recent appointments and Diamantas’ aptness, but the agencies did not respond in time for press.
MAHA and ingredient oversight
Food law experts at law firm Sidley have suggested that MAHA-aligned deregulation efforts – combined with Diamantas’ leadership – could significantly reshape food ingredient oversight, including potential changes to the Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) framework.
Some proposals under discussion that pre-date Diamantas’ appointment include limiting or eliminating the self-affirmed GRAS process, a longstanding flashpoint in food policy debates.
Parallel shifts at HHS and OPLIA
The leadership changes extend beyond the Human Foods Program.
Grace Graham, deputy commissioner for the office of policy, legislation and international affairs (OPLIA), also was appointed senior counselor alongside Diamantas. Graham leads FDA’s congressional engagement, policy development and international affairs and previously served as health policy director for the Senate HELP Committee, where she focused primarily on drugs, devices and public health legislation.
In a May 16, 2025 keynote at the Food and Drug Law Institute Annual Conference, Graham said FDA’s level of attention to food issues is “the likes of which I haven’t seen” since she began her tenure. She cited efforts to improve Americans’ nutrition, address chemical use in the food supply and reduce foodborne illness. Infant formula, she said, remains a major initiative, pointing to Operation Stork Speed and a comprehensive review of formula nutrition requirements that have not been updated since 1998.
Meanwhile, Chris Klomp will become chief counselor at HHS, overseeing departmental operations. With a background in Medicare policy, drug pricing negotiations under the Inflation Reduction Act and Medicare Advantage cost controls, Klomp’s portfolio has centered on financial oversight rather than food regulation. His operational authority could shape cross-agency coordination, regulatory timelines and messaging priorities tied to food policy.
A moment of institutional strain?
Taken together, the appointments come at a moment of institutional strain for FDA’s Human Foods Program.
Critics argus that combining staff reductions with politically-aligned leadership and possible deregulation could weaken enforcement and slow responses to emerging threats.
MAHA-aligned advocates counter that the new leadership reflects long-overdue reform and a renewed focus on nutrition and chemical oversight.
