Trump Plans to Fire FDA Head Makary Following Internal Clashes
President Trump has approved a plan to remove FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, according to people familiar with the situation, though the decision hasn’t been finalized and could still change.
Makary, a former Johns Hopkins surgeon who became a prominent voice in the “Make America Healthy Again” movement, has faced a difficult tenure at the agency. Administration officials reportedly see him as struggling to lead the FDA, with ongoing clashes involving the Health and Human Services Department and, at times, the White House. His time in the role has also been marked by leadership turnover and the fallout from earlier staffing cuts.
If the move goes through, Makary would be the latest high-ranking official to be pushed out under HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., following previous departures at the CDC and within HHS leadership.
While the White House has not confirmed any final decision, spokesperson Kush Desai said the administration remains focused on delivering results for the American public.
Behind the scenes, frustration with Makary has been building for months. Some officials and industry figures have raised concerns about his handling of key issues, including drug approvals and broader FDA policy. At one point, Kennedy had even considered appointing someone else to effectively run the agency while keeping Makary in a more symbolic role.
Tensions escalated recently over nicotine products. Trump was reportedly unhappy with the pace of approvals for flavored vaping products. Earlier this year, Makary had rejected certain fruit-flavored vapes over concerns about youth usage, but later reversed that decision after pressure from the administration.
Makary has also drawn criticism from parts of the biotech industry, particularly from those working on treatments for rare diseases, as well as from patient advocacy groups.
Some conservative voices who initially supported him have since turned critical. Former Senator Rick Santorum, for example, accused Makary of weakening the FDA by replacing key staff and harming innovation.
He has also come under fire from anti-abortion groups. Marjorie Dannenfelser of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America recently renewed calls for his removal after reports that Makary chose not to delay approval of a generic abortion pill.
Makary first gained national attention as a measured critic of COVID-era public health policies and later aligned himself with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other figures in the MAHA movement. Trump nominated him to lead the FDA in late 2024, following a series of meetings among key health officials and allies, including Dr. Mehmet Oz and NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya.
