Trump Announces Plan to Replace FDA Commissioner Marty Makary
President Trump has approved a plan to dismiss Marty Makary, who has led the Food and Drug Administration since his confirmation in March 2025. Makary has not been notified and retains support inside the Department of Health and Human Services. The move follows tensions over vaping policy after the FDA approved flavored e-cigarettes on May 6.
Washington ExaminerPresident Trump has approved a plan to fire Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary, The Wall Street Journal first reported. Makary has served as FDA commissioner since March 2025 after confirmation to the post that month. He has not been notified of his firing, according to a senior Health and Human Services official who added that Makary has a lot of support inside HHS.
The commissioner did not appear in the Oval Office alongside other top federal public health officials Monday as the president touted his administration's work on maternal health. President Trump dodged questions about Makary's potential ouster on Friday. Makary is still expected to testify before the Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday.
A spokesperson for the Senate Appropriations Committee stated that Makary is still scheduled to appear. The dismissal plan comes after reported tensions over the FDA's agenda. On May 6 the FDA approved flavored e-cigarettes, a decision that came only after Mr.
Trump pressured Makary to approve the fruit-flavored vapes. Advisers had told the president that Makary was blocking the vaping agenda. Dr. Makary has been a supporter of the Make American Healthy Again Movement but made some enemies in the administration over vaping, the abortion pill and rejections of new drugs.
The senior Health and Human Services official who spoke about the lack of notification and Makary's internal support did so on condition of anonymity. The timing of any termination remains unknown and the president could change his mind. Makary, a British-American surgeon, had drawn criticism from some administration figures for his handling of certain regulatory matters.
Biotech industry voices had complained in late 2025 about missed approval deadlines, canceled advisory committee meetings and a take-it-or-leave-it posture toward drug developers. Those complaints coincided with a drop in approvals and an increase in rejections.
Drug rejections rose 50 percent while missed application review deadlines tripled in 2025 as approvals fell 14 percent in the later part of the year.
Makary's expected Senate testimony on Wednesday would mark one of his final public appearances in the role if the firing proceeds on schedule. The Senate Appropriations Committee spokesperson confirmed the hearing remained on the calendar as of Monday.
Transparency
Rewrite inherits heavy anonymous_speculation, lede_misdirection, and consensus_uniformity from sources, centering process and insider leaks over substantive policy tensions.
Lede misdirection: lede centers on firing process and WSJ report instead of FDA policy disputes
Makary, a MAHA-aligned surgeon recently confirmed by the Senate, may have been resisting premature deregulation of vaping products and experimental drugs, thereby protecting patients and preserving FDA credibility against political pressure.
3 independent outlets report the same core facts. This score blends how many outlets corroborate, their editorial tier, and how closely their facts agree — it measures corroboration, not proof.
Sources framed at 65; our rewrite scored 65 — in line with the sources.
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