FDA Head Marty Makary Resigns

Head of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Dr. Marty Makary resigned on Tuesday, leaving the agency to temporarily be led by the deputy commissioner on food, Kyle Diamantas.

The Details: President Donald Trump said, "Marty's a great guy. He's a friend of mine. He's a wonderful man… He was having some difficulty. 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." 

For Context: Outlets across the political spectrum highlighted Makary's "contentious" time at the FDA, with Washington Times (Lean Right bias) noting criticisms he received from both Democrats and Republicans and mentioning "several public spats" the agency had with a variety of pharmaceutical makers. Washington Times, amongst other outlets, also mentioned Makary's partial rise to prominence because of his criticism of COVID-19 vaccines.

Pushback from Both Parties: Associated Press (Left bias) noted that "anti-abortion groups" were critical of Makary for allowing the abortion medication mifepristone to remain available through mail order. Simultaneously, some health experts denounced the FDA's decision under Makary to authorize fruit-flavored vapes and e-cigarettes for adults.

Instability at the FDA: Outlets across the spectrum also noted that Makary is one of many leaders ousted from the agency. BBC (Center) noted that former Deputy Secretary Jim O'Neill left earlier this year and the former head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Susan Monarez, resigned in 2025.

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