Last week, the Wall Street Journal hinted at a major shake-up at the Department of Health and Human Services, specifically that its head, Dr. Marty Makary, was expected to be fired by President Trump. Of course, he played coy about it, claiming he knew nothing about it (via WSJ):
President Trump has signed off on a plan to fire Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary, according to people familiar with the matter, following a tumultuous period for the regulator that included clashes over vaping, abortion and drug policy.
Makary, a former Johns Hopkins surgeon who became a frequent Make America Healthy Again surrogate on television news programs, is seen by other top administration leaders as struggling to manage his agency, sparring frequently with health department officials and at times with the White House. His tenure has also been dogged by the aftereffects of layoffs led by the Department of Government Efficiency and rapid turnover in the FDA’s leadership ranks.
He would become the latest top lieutenant fired under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. since the ouster last summer of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Susan Monarez and the February removal of HHS Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill.
Asked late Friday about Makary’s possible departure, Trump said: “I know nothing about it.”
Well, today, as he departed for his China trip, Trump confirmed it—Makary is resigning today. As for who will be the interim head of the HHS, that has yet to be determined (via WaPo):
.@POTUS on Dr. Marty Makary leaving the FDA: "Marty's a great guy. He's a friend of mine, he's a wonderful man, and he's going to be off, and the deputy is taking over temporarily... everybody wants that job." pic.twitter.com/Df9y7GQurO
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 12, 2026
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Martin Makary has not been doing enough on a LOT of issues to truly Make America Healthy Again… Cancer drugs. Prescription costs. Accountability.
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) May 11, 2026
He is on the chopping block because he tried to push the Marty agenda not the MAHA agenda. https://t.co/CqDn9CP9aa
Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary plans to resign Tuesday after months of turmoil at the agency and White House staff last week signing off on a plan to replace him, according to two people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe personnel matters.
It was not immediately clear who would be named acting head of the massive agency, which is charged with ensuring medications are safe, vaccines are effective and the majority of the U.S. food supply is not contaminated. Kyle Diamantas, who oversees the agency’s food program and was recently elevated to be one of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s senior counselors, has been considered for the role, according to three people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe personnel matters.
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