Trump Ally with Ties to Don Jr. Put in Charge of U.S. Food Safety
A Florida attorney with ties to Donald Trump Jr. has been appointed to oversee the majority of the U.S. food supply, raising concerns over his qualifications and the direction of food safety policies under Donald Trump’s second administration.
Kyle Diamantas, who has been named acting deputy commissioner for human foods at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), will be responsible for managing food safety and nutrition regulations, as well as overseeing approximately 80% of the U.S. food supply. His role includes directing policy initiatives, resource allocation, and enforcement strategies within the FDA’s Human Foods Program. The position does not require Senate confirmation.
Diamantas, 37, is a University of Florida Levin College of Law graduate and holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Central Florida. Before his appointment, he worked as a partner at the law firm Jones Day in Miami, having joined the firm in 2021. His LinkedIn profile and a now-archived Jones Day biography indicate that he has experience advising food, cosmetic, dietary supplement, drug, and consumer goods companies on regulatory and compliance matters.
Vanity Fair highlighted Diamantas’s personal connection to the Trump family, pointing to a 2021 photograph of him hunting wild turkeys with Trump Jr. The report also questioned what expertise he brings to his new position. However, Food Safety Magazine noted that he has authored several articles on food regulation, and the FDA’s website states that he has extensive experience working with federal and state agencies, consumer advocacy groups, and scientific organizations.
Diamantas’s appointment comes at a critical time for the FDA, which is currently investigating a deadly outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes linked to frozen supplemental shakes, resulting in 12 reported deaths. Additionally, his new role follows significant upheaval in the FDA’s food division, with former head Jim Jones resigning on February 17 after the Trump administration dismissed 89 staffers in that department. In his resignation letter, Jones criticized the layoffs, calling them “indiscriminate” and stating that the administration’s approach made it “fruitless” for him to continue in the role.
As Diamantas takes on his responsibilities, questions remain about how his leadership will impact food safety regulations and public health initiatives under the Trump administration.
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