FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary Resigns Amid Criticism and Internal Turmoil

WASHINGTON — Dr. Marty Makary, President Donald Trump’s FDA Commissioner, resigned Tuesday, May 12, 2026, after just over a year in the role, capping a tenure marked by policy clashes, staff turnover, and public criticism from figures within the administration’s health reform circles.

Makary, a Johns Hopkins surgeon known for his outspoken views on COVID-19 policies during the pandemic, faced mounting pressure from multiple sides. Health industry executives, anti-abortion advocates, and vaping interests expressed frustration with his decisions. Within the MAHA movement, Dr. Robert Malone, former vice chair of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), publicly accused Makary of halting efforts to pull COVID-19 vaccines from the market and suppressing data on potential harms, including pediatric cases.

In one notable exchange, Malone reportedly stated that Makary was responsible for blocking the release of information on vaccine-related pediatric deaths. Malone says the MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) movement has been instructed to “put a cork in it” before the midterms. He claims the current leadership is “not willing to allow that information to become public”. These tensions aligned with broader debates over vaccine transparency and regulatory reform under HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

A White House official described the departure as related to “process at the FDA,” with no “bad blood” toward Trump. Makary’s resignation cited achievements in reforms, stating "I’m extremely proud that we reduced drug review times from a year to 1-2 months, wrote new guidance to advance psychedelics, introduced a new ‘plausible mechanism’ for rare disease drugs, and changed estrogen labels to tell women the truth about menopausal hormonal replacement.” President Trump publicly thanked Dr. Makary for having done a great job at the FDA, describing him as "a hard worker who was respected by all." Diamantis, FDA deputy commissioner for food, will serve as acting commissioner.

The exit leaves several initiatives—including food safety, chronic disease efforts, and vaccine policy reviews—in limbo as the administration navigates ongoing health policy shifts.