Trump Ally Resigns

Marty Makary is expected to step down as commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration after serving just over a year in the role, marking another major shakeup within President Donald Trump’s administration.

Reports on Tuesday indicated that Makary plans to officially announce his resignation later in the day. According to multiple sources, FDA Deputy Commissioner Kyle Diamantas is expected to temporarily take over leadership of the agency while the White House searches for a permanent replacement.

Speaking to reporters before departing for an overseas trip, Trump avoided directly answering whether he personally requested Makary’s resignation or removed him from the position. Instead, the president described Makary as a friend and praised him as a respected physician while acknowledging that he had faced challenges during his tenure leading the agency.

Makary’s exit comes after months of growing speculation about tensions inside the administration regarding several controversial health policy issues, including flavored vaping products, abortion medication regulations, and broader disputes within the pharmaceutical industry.

Sources familiar with the situation reportedly said disagreements over flavored vape approvals played a major role in the breakdown between Makary and senior administration officials. The FDA recently approved several new vaping products despite internal resistance and intense political pressure from multiple sides of the debate.

Makary also faced criticism from anti-abortion groups and conservative lawmakers who wanted the agency to take a tougher stance on access to the abortion pill mifepristone. Some Republican leaders publicly expressed frustration with the FDA’s handling of abortion-related decisions and demanded more aggressive restrictions.

Among those critics was Bill Cassidy, chairman of the Senate Health Committee, who previously criticized the FDA after it approved another generic abortion medication and questioned delays surrounding additional safety reviews.

His departure adds to a growing list of high-profile exits within the Trump administration this year and follows the president’s recent decision to withdraw the nomination of Casey Means for surgeon general.

Makary’s leadership at the FDA was marked by ongoing internal conflict, staff turnover, and complaints from parts of the pharmaceutical industry about uncertainty surrounding regulatory decisions. Several senior officials left the agency during his tenure, while analysts warned that morale among employees had steadily declined.

The commissioner’s resignation also comes at a sensitive time for the FDA, which is preparing to make several major decisions involving new drugs, vaccines, and experimental medical treatments in the months ahead.

Ironically, Trump had publicly denied knowledge of Makary’s potential departure just days earlier when questioned by reporters, saying he had only read media reports about the situation.

Before news of his resignation surfaced, Makary had been scheduled to testify before a Senate panel this week regarding the FDA’s upcoming budget and future priorities.