President Donald Trump signed off on a plan to dismiss FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, according to a Wall Street Journal report that cites people familiar with the matter.

This marks the latest in a series of departures among senior U.S. health agency officials.

Why is Makary being fired?

According to Reuters, a source close to the White House said the FDA commissioner "is done" and that Trump had signed off on the decision.¹ The White House and the Department of Health and Human Services were not immediately available for comment.

Makary, a surgical oncologist at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, was confirmed as FDA commissioner back in March 2025.² During his time at FDA, he’s become a prominent figure within the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement backed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and authored bestselling books on healthcare costs and what he described as systemic failures in modern medicine.

During his tenure he championed several controversial positions, including pushing for large placebo-controlled trials for Covid-19 vaccines in lower-risk age groups and overseeing significant shifts in the agency's approach to drug approvals, vaccines, and its handling of mifepristone.

Reports of Makary's potential exit have intensified over the past week and are tied to concerns about those controversial decisions.¹ Some within the administration are said to be “uncomfortable” with the political fallout generated by his more provocative regulatory moves, particularly the scrutiny growing around FDA's direction in Congress and former agency officials.

What is the fallout of Makary’s firing?

Upon Makary’s departure, FDA would be left without a permanent commissioner at a moment when the agency is already operating with acting heads in charge of its top drug development departments, including Tracy Beth Høeg as acting director of CDER.

The timing also raises practical concerns around FDA's ability to navigate high-stakes decisions on drug approvals, vaccine policy, and food safety without stable, confirmed leadership in place.

Senior officials have departed the CDC and other federal health bodies at an alarmaing rate in recent months, raising concerns among public health experts about institutional continuity at agencies responsible for drug safety, disease surveillance, and pandemic preparedness.

Critics are also warning that the repeated churn of leadership makes it harder for these agencies to retain experienced staff, maintain long-term policy commitments, and respond effectively to emerging health threats.

For now, the White House has yet to name a potential successor or confirm the report.

Whether Makary's replacement will continue the MAHA-aligned approach he helped advance, or chart a more conventional regulatory course, is likely to be closely watched.

Sources

1. Trump plans to fire FDA chief Makary, WSJ reports Reuters May 8, 2026 https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-planning-fire-fda-chief-makary-wsj-reports-2026-05-08/
2. Martin A Makary M.D., M.P.H. U.S. Food and Health Administration July 11, 2025 https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/fda-organization/martin-makary