FDA Commissioner Marty Makary resigned Tuesday, ending a turbulent tenure at the agency amid mounting pressure from pro-life advocates and frustration from allies of the Trump administration over the pace of health policy changes.
A White House official told Fox News Digital that Makary’s departure was related to “process at the FDA” rather than any single issue. (The Senate just voted 51-45 on a key Trump measure)
He insisted there was “no bad blood” between President Donald Trump and the outgoing commissioner.
The official also said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pushed for Makary’s resignation as dissatisfaction with the agency’s direction intensified.
(House votes 218- 213 .. What just passed has Trump fired up)
Kyle Diamantas, the FDA’s deputy commissioner for food, will step in as acting commissioner, according to the report.
A White House spokesperson said Diamantas previously removed himself from a legal case involving Planned Parenthood due to his personal beliefs.
“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.
Trump publicly praised Makary following news of the resignation, calling him both a friend and a capable leader.
“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 as he departed the White House.
Trump also posted a message on Truth Social thanking Makary for his service.
“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.”
Kennedy also offered praise for Makary while confirming the administration is already searching for a permanent 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 growing anger from pro-life activists who believed the administration had not moved aggressively enough on abortion policy, particularly involving Mifepristone.
When Trump returned to office, many anti-abortion advocates expected the FDA to reverse policies allowing the abortion pill to be prescribed through telehealth visits and shipped through the mail.
Instead, those policies remained in place, and critics argued the agency was slow to revisit safety reviews or broader abortion drug policy.
Live Action President Lila Rose had publicly called for Makary’s removal.
“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 welcomed the resignation.
“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 had also suggested internal administration frustration over the pace of broader “Make America Healthy Again” initiatives, with critics arguing the FDA had moved too slowly on several major priorities.
Makary had been scheduled to testify before the Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday, making the timing of the resignation particularly notable.
His exit marks another major personnel shift inside the Trump administration as leadership continues reshaping federal agencies and advancing key policy priorities.