President Trump is reportedly considering dismissing FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary, whose tenure since March 2025 has been marked by internal disruptions, controversial drug-review decisions and a delayed safety review of the abortion pill mifepristone. Makary, aligned with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has pushed policy shifts on Covid vaccine approvals and food dyes. The FDA has also drawn criticism for rejecting then reversing decisions on some rare-disease treatments and for recently authorizing fruit-flavored vaping products, which health groups oppose. No final White House decision has been announced.
Trump Weighs Dismissing FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary Amid Agency Turmoil
Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary in the Oval Office of the White House on Dec. 18, 2025. (Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images file)(Anna Moneymaker)
President Donald Trump is reportedly considering removing Dr. Marty Makary from his post as commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, according to a source familiar with the matter. No final decision has been made, and the source cautioned the president could still change his mind.
Agency Turmoil and Controversies
Makary, a former Johns Hopkins surgeon confirmed as FDA commissioner in March 2025, has presided over a period of heightened friction inside the agency and on Capitol Hill. Critics point to unexpected drug-application rejections, several high-profile staff departures and mounting pressure for action on the abortion pill mifepristone.
President Trump has assembled the most experienced and talented administration in history, an administration that continues to focus on delivering more historic victories for the American people, said White House spokesman Kush Desai.
Key Policy Moves
Makary is viewed as politically aligned with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and has pushed several notable policy changes early in his tenure. The FDA announced an initiative to phase out certain artificial food dyes and implemented a stricter framework for authorizing Covid vaccines. Those moves won support from some conservatives but drew criticism from other public-health stakeholders.
Mifepristone Review And Election Timing
Makary promised Republican senators during his confirmation that he would produce a safety review of mifepristone. More than a year later, no review has been released; Bloomberg reported that Makary asked officials to delay publishing the review until after the midterm elections. That delay has intensified pressure from both supporters and opponents of expanded abortion access, particularly as activists press the FDA to reinstate in-person dispensing requirements.
Drug-Review Decisions And Staff Departures
The FDA under Makary has faced blowback for decisions affecting treatments for rare diseases. Earlier this year the agency declined to review a UniQure gene-therapy application for Huntington's disease, a move that prompted outrage from patient advocates and some lawmakers and contributed to the second departure of Dr. Vinay Prasad, who oversaw the relevant office. The agency also initially declined and then quickly reversed its decision on Moderna's application for an mRNA influenza vaccine.
Vaping Policy And Political Pressure
According to reporting in The Wall Street Journal, President Trump has expressed frustration with what he views as a slow pace on approvals for flavored vaping and nicotine products — a campaign issue in 2024 when he pledged to 'save' vaping. The FDA recently issued its first authorization for fruit-flavored vaping products, a move opposed by public-health groups and parent organizations that say flavored products drive underage vaping.
For now, Makary remains in his role while the White House weighs its options. Any change would be consequential for the FDA's agenda and the broader debate over drug approvals, reproductive health policy and youth tobacco prevention.
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