Makary Resigns as FDA Commissioner

Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary resigned from his post Tuesday after widespread reports that he would be fired. Politico first reported the news.

Kyle Diamantas, FDA deputy commissioner for food, will reportedly serve as acting FDA commissioner.

When asked by a reporter Tuesday about Makary’s departure, President Donald Trump answered, “Marty’s a great guy, he’s a friend of mine, he’s a wonderful man. And he’s going to be off and the assistant—the deputy—is taking over temporarily.”

“Everybody wants that job. It’s a very important job. Marty’s a terrific guy, but he’s going to go on, and he’s going to lead a good life,” Trump said.

Makary was slated to testify before the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on Wednesday about the agency’s 2027 budget request.

The Wall Street Journal had reported that President Donald Trump was frustrated with Makary’s reluctance to approve the sale of  fruit- and menthol-flavored vaping products. Makary was also at odds with the pro-life movement over allegations he was slow walking the safety review of the abortion pill.

A surgeon and researcher, Makary rose to public prominence as a critic of COVID-19 vaccine mandates under former President Joe Biden’s administration. The Senate later confirmed his nomination as commissioner in March 2025.

Republican Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley, a strong advocate for safeguards on the abortion pill, celebrated Makary’s exit as an “opportunity for the FDA to reset.”

“This is welcome news. Dr. Makary was uniquely destructive to the pro-life movement,” he said. ‘He attempted to place pro-abortion lawyers in key positions.”

“He slow walked a vitally necessary review of the abortion drug mifepristone,” he added. “He used his discretion to approve a new abortion drug when the data shows it sends 1 in 10 women to the emergency room. He froze out pro-life leaders and repeatedly stonewalled Congress.”

Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, an organization Speaker Mike Johnson described as the most effective pro-life advocacy group, had long called for Makary to be fired.

“Enough is enough,” she said in December. “Dr. Makary should be fired immediately.”

Some in the pro-life movement doubt that Makary’s exit will spur change on the abortion pill issue.

“Doesn’t matter who the FDA Commissioner is if the Oval Office doesn’t support him or her taking quick action to protect mothers & babies from deadly Chemical Abortion Pills,” Students for Life President Kristan Hawkins said. “The buck stops with President Trump.”

This story is developing and will be updated.