President Donald Trump has announced the departure of Marty Makary as head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, ending a turbulent tenure marked by political pressure, policy disputes, and growing criticism from multiple sides.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Trump described Makary as “a terrific guy” but confirmed that the FDA chief would be stepping down after months of speculation about his future at the agency.
“Marty is a terrific guy, but he’s going to go on, and he’s going to lead a good life,” Trump said, dismissing questions about whether Makary had been fired.
The president later shared what appeared to be Makary’s resignation message on Truth Social, thanking him for his service and describing him as hardworking and widely respected.
Trump also announced that Kyle Diamantas, who previously served as the FDA’s top food official, would take over in an acting capacity.
Makary, a surgeon and former Fox News contributor, rose to national prominence during the Covid-19 pandemic after openly challenging parts of the medical establishment and criticizing several public health measures.
When he took over leadership of the FDA, he promised sweeping reforms at the powerful agency responsible for regulating vaccines, medicines, and food products in the United States.
But his time at the FDA quickly became controversial.
He reportedly faced pressure from the Trump administration over flavored e-cigarette approvals, particularly fruit-flavored vape products that critics argue appeal to teenagers. At the same time, anti-abortion groups accused him of delaying a review of mifepristone, an abortion pill that has been approved in the U.S. for more than two decades.
Pharmaceutical companies also expressed frustration over changes introduced under Makary’s leadership, saying his attempts to overhaul the drug approval system created uncertainty within the industry.
Public health experts, meanwhile, criticized the FDA after it circulated a disputed memo linking Covid-19 vaccines to deaths, a move many saw as giving credibility to anti-vaccine narratives.
Makary’s resignation adds to a growing wave of upheaval inside the U.S. health system under Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose leadership has already drawn intense scrutiny because of his long-standing skepticism toward vaccines.
The administration is also still without permanent leadership at key health agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the office of the Surgeon General.
Reacting to the latest development, Peter Lurie of the Center for Science in the Public Interest described the situation inside the Department of Health and Human Services as “chaos,” arguing that repeated leadership vacancies were undermining confidence in the country’s health institutions.
