FDA Commissioner Resigns As White House Names Acting Replacement

FDA Commissioner Marty Makary resigned Tuesday following months of growing frustration inside President Donald Trump’s administration and mounting backlash from pro-life conservatives who argued the agency failed to move aggressively enough on key health policy priorities.

A White House official told Fox News Digital that Makary’s departure stemmed from ongoing concerns involving “process at the FDA” rather than one isolated dispute.

The resignation comes as the Senate recently voted 51-45 on a major Trump-backed measure, while House Republicans also advanced another key legislative victory that has energized conservatives ahead of the midterms.

According to the White House official, there was “no bad blood” between President Trump and Makary despite the abrupt exit.

The official also revealed that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. played a significant role in pushing for Makary’s resignation as dissatisfaction with the FDA’s direction intensified within the administration.

House Republicans recently passed another major Trump-backed initiative in a narrow 218-213 vote, further raising pressure on federal agencies to align more closely with the administration’s broader policy agenda.

Kyle Diamantas, currently serving as the FDA’s deputy commissioner for food, will assume the role of acting commissioner while the White House searches for a permanent replacement.

A White House spokesperson noted that Diamantas had previously recused himself from legal work involving Planned Parenthood because of his personal convictions.

“Kyle Diamantas was a junior legal associate who was assigned to that case by his superiors,” White House spokesperson Kush Desai said.

“He expressed his objections to representing Planned Parenthood based on his personal convictions, and ultimately removed himself from the case,” he said.

President Trump publicly praised Makary shortly after news of the resignation became public, emphasizing that the outgoing commissioner had worked hard under difficult circumstances.

“He’s a great doctor and he was having some difficulty, but he’s going to go on and he’s going to do well,” Trump told reporters while departing the White House.

The President later posted a statement on Truth Social thanking Makary for his service at the agency.

“I want to thank Dr. Marty Makary for having done a great job at the FDA,” Trump wrote.

“So much was accomplished under his leadership. He was a hard worker, who was respected by all, and will go on to have an outstanding career in Medicine. Kyle Diamantas, a very talented person, will be put in the Acting position.”

Secretary Kennedy also commended Makary while confirming that the administration is already moving quickly to identify a long-term replacement.

“Marty, you took on entrenched interests, challenged the status quo, and never lost sight of the American people we serve,” Kennedy wrote.

“You pushed forward critical reforms and helped advance our mission to Make America Healthy Again.”

“The search for a new Commissioner is already underway, and we will move forward with urgency,” he added.

Makary’s resignation follows increasing criticism from pro-life leaders who believed the FDA had failed to sufficiently address abortion-related policies under President Trump’s second administration.

Many conservatives expected the FDA to reverse Biden-era policies that allowed abortion drugs like mifepristone to be prescribed through telehealth appointments and distributed by mail.

However, those policies remained in effect, fueling anger among anti-abortion advocates who argued the administration was not acting fast enough to protect unborn life and reevaluate the safety standards surrounding chemical abortions.

Lila Rose had publicly demanded Makary’s removal from the agency.

“President Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Kennedy must end this now, remove Commissioner Makary, stop the mail order abortion scheme, and pull these child-killing drugs from the market,” Rose said.

Republican Sen. Josh Hawley also applauded the resignation and sharply criticized Makary’s tenure.

“He was terrible to the pro-life movement,” Hawley said. “He attempted to place pro-abortion lawyers in key positions,” Fox News reported.

“Makary’s resignation is an opportunity for the FDA to reset and protect life,” Hawley added.

Reports have also pointed to broader internal frustrations over the pace of the administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” agenda, with critics arguing the FDA had moved too slowly on several major reform priorities tied to food safety, pharmaceutical oversight, and public health transparency.

Makary had been scheduled to testify before the Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday, making the timing of his resignation especially significant.

His departure marks yet another major personnel change within President Trump’s administration as the White House continues reshaping federal agencies and accelerating efforts to implement its second-term agenda.