Key Takeaways
- People familiar with the matter said Trump has signed off on a plan to fire FDA Commissioner Marty Makary.
- Trump said late Friday that he knew nothing about Makary’s possible departure.
- The report said Makary’s tenure has involved disputes over vaping, abortion and drug policy.
- Trump recently became frustrated that Makary was not moving fast enough to approve flavored vapes and other nicotine products.
- Makary refused in February to authorize Glas blueberry and mango vape flavors, then reversed course after pressure from Trump.
2Firsts, May 9，2026
According to The Wall Street Journal, people familiar with the matter said President Trump has signed off on a plan to fire Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary. The report said the move follows a turbulent period for the regulator involving clashes over vaping, abortion and drug policy.
Trump’s plan is not final
The report said Trump’s plan is not yet final and could change. Asked late Friday about Makary’s possible departure, Trump said, “I know nothing about it.”
White House spokesman Kush Desai said Trump has assembled “the most experienced and talented administration in history” and that the administration continues to focus on delivering more victories for the American people. Makary did not respond to a request for comment.
Senior officials reportedly grew dissatisfied with Makary’s management
Makary, a former Johns Hopkins surgeon, became a frequent Make America Healthy Again surrogate on television news programs.
The report said other senior administration leaders see him as struggling to manage the FDA, sparring frequently with health department officials and at times with the White House.
His tenure has also been affected by the aftermath of layoffs led by the Department of Government Efficiency and rapid turnover in the FDA’s leadership ranks. If removed, he would become another senior official ousted under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Vaping policy became one key point of conflict
People familiar with the matter said top administration officials have become increasingly convinced Makary should leave, citing months of turmoil and growing complaints from some in the pharmaceutical industry.
The report said administration officials have come to regard Makary as a rogue agent on vaping and other issues.
Trump recently became frustrated with Makary for not moving fast enough to approve flavored vapes and other nicotine products.
In February, Makary refused to authorize blueberry and mango vape flavors from Los Angeles manufacturer Glas, citing concern that fruit flavors would encourage youth vaping. After pressure from Trump, he reversed course and authorized the flavors.
Rare-disease drugs and abortion-pill issues drew criticism
The report said Makary also faced criticism from biotech companies with rare-disease drugs, as well as patients and advocates.
Rare-disease advocate and former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum wrote on social media earlier this month that he had supported Makary’s nomination because Makary “spoke truth during COVID,” but criticized his handling of FDA personnel and policy.
Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, recently renewed her call for Makary to be fired.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Makary said he could have stalled approval of a generic form of the abortion pill but did not.
Some allies defended Makary
Some of Makary’s allies defended him.
MAHA influencer Alex Clark wrote on Instagram on Friday that Washington “swamp creatures” hate Makary because he brings actual scientific scrutiny, and urged that he not be fired.
Makary rose in conservative circles as a measured critic of pandemic-era health efforts and the traditional medical establishment.
The report said he won more acceptance from traditional public-health figures than Kennedy did, while also showing himself more willing than many of them to criticize coronavirus vaccines and past FDA actions.
Makary had close ties to the MAHA movement
In September 2024, Makary joined Kennedy and other health influencers for a Senate panel on nutrition, which marked the start of his public alliance with the MAHA movement.
Trump tapped Makary for the FDA post in November 2024, as Kennedy and other health department leaders held meetings at Dr. Mehmet Oz’s oceanfront Florida mansion.
Kennedy described Makary, Oz and National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya as “friends” in a Fox News interview last year.
The report added that Makary has battled with others in the health department on a range of policy issues and has increasingly relied on a small inner circle of advisers while looking for “wins” he could tout to the White House and the press.
Image source: The Wall Street Journal
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