FDA Commissioner Marty Makary Resigns Amid Trump Administration Shake-Up

FDA Commissioner Marty Makary resigned under pressure on Tuesday, December 18, 2025, after reports surfaced that President Donald Trump had approved a plan to fire him.

Makary, who led the federal agency responsible for regulating drugs, medical devices, food safety, cosmetics, and more, was the latest high-profile departure in a turbulent period for the country’s public health infrastructure under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

What’s the context? Makary’s resignation leaves the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) without a confirmed CDC director, FDA commissioner, or surgeon general.

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Susan Monarez was forced out in August 2025 after clashing with Kennedy over vaccines.
• HHS Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill, who served as acting CDC director after Monarez’s departure, left in February 2025.
• President Trump has yet to have a surgeon general nominee confirmed and made his third nomination for the role earlier this month.

Why was Makary forced out? The immediate cause of his ouster was his opposition to approving fruit-flavored e-cigarettes for sale—a policy Trump has championed. Flavored vapes were authorized last week, and the FDA issued additional favorable guidance on Friday, December 13, 2025.

Trump, who vowed to “save Vaping” in 2024, has framed the issue as a way to appeal to young voters, benefiting tobacco companies. However, public health experts warn that flavors like mango and blueberry could increase the appeal of vapes to teenagers and younger children.

Makary also faced criticism from conservative Republicans for his stance on the abortion drug mifepristone, an issue Trump has sought to avoid. On Tuesday, December 18, 2025, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) called him “uniquely destructive to the prolife movement,” while Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) stated in a post that Makary was “part of a broader symptom of an administration that has not paid attention to pro-life issues.”

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For more insights, Sigal Samuel wrote about coping with misanthropic feelings in her latest advice column, emphasizing the value of Renaissance humanism. Read her piece here.