FDA Commissioner Resigns Due to Alleged Disagreements With Trump Administration
Due to disagreements with some high-level Republicans, Marty Makary resigned as commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration
In the wake of some issues arising with the Trump administration, Marty Makary resigned as commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
In March 2025, the British-American surgeon was confirmed to lead the FDA, that is,as responsible for overseeing and regulating medicines, vaccines,and tobacco, among other things.
Until that moment, in addition to being critical of how the Biden administration responded to the COVID-19 pandemic, he stood out for defending the “Make America Healthy Again” movement.
However, upon joining the current government, for nearly 13 months he faced constant tension that forced him to take a step to the side of the FDA.
In the middle of last year, Robert Francis Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), asked him to review mifepristone to examine its safety. d and efficacy as an abortifacient drug, which it couldn't do for a semester, a situation that generated enormous unrest among some high-ranking Republicans.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Makary's resignation came due to alleged pressure from President Donald Trump to authorize the sale of fruit-flavored electronic-cigarettes, which he refused to do.
However, that was one of several conflicts that he faced and that undermined his relationship with the nation's leader.
The television network CBS News and other news media agreed by citing several people close to the government, under condition of keeping his identity safe, noting that Trump had already authorized a plan to fire Marty Makary.
Upon finding about this, the Liverpool doctor came to the conclusion that he found more decorous to be the one who resigned from his position in the federal administration.
In an initial statement delivered to a group of journalists on the South Lawn of the White House, Trump described Makary as “a great guy” whom he considered part of his group of friends.
“Marty is a great guy, but he's gonna move on and he's gonna have a good life. You know, he's a great doctor. And he was going through some difficulties, but he's gonna move on and he'll do fine,” he indicated.
As part of the restructuring carried out in the Department of Health and Human Services(HHS), prior to Makary's resignation, Vinay Prasad, vaccines chief, also decided to step aside.
The loss of the British specialist was so expected that Trump announced Kyle Diamantas, deputy commissioner, of food, as interim head of the FDA.