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In a major shakeup at the nation’s top health agency, U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary is stepping down, according to sources familiar with the situation.

Makary’s planned resignation on Tuesday comes after weeks of mounting criticism from powerful Republicans, anti-abortion groups, and the Wall Street Journal editorial board — along with growing frustration inside the Trump administration and the Department of Health and Human Services.

FDA Deputy Commissioner for Food Kyle Diamantas will take over in an acting capacity.

Mounting Pressure Campaign

Makary faced intense backlash over several high-profile decisions, including his handling of flavored vapes, a stalled review of abortion pills, and public disputes with drugmakers regarding approvals for lifesaving medicines and vaccines. The Wall Street Journal’s editorial page ran multiple pieces sharply criticizing his leadership and openly calling for his removal.

Sources say top Trump advisers had grown increasingly frustrated with the negative headlines, internal conflicts, and what they viewed as a tumultuous tenure at the FDA. Reuters previously reported that President Trump had signed off on a plan to fire him.

This sudden exit reveals deep tensions within the Trump administration’s health leadership. Makary, a prominent surgeon and author once seen as a fresh voice for reform, appears to have run into serious resistance from multiple directions — both inside the White House and from influential outside conservative voices.

His departure marks yet another high-level change at a critical federal health agency during a period of significant policy shifts and public scrutiny. The timing and circumstances suggest that political and ideological pressures played a major role in forcing him out.

As the FDA navigates ongoing debates over drug approvals, reproductive health, and public health policy, the agency now heads into a period of uncertainty under acting leadership.

The move leaves many wondering who will ultimately steer the FDA going forward and whether this signals a broader shift in how the administration approaches science, regulation, and controversial health issues.