Another high-profile exit has hit the Trump administration — and this time it’s America’s top drug regulator.
Marty Makary, the commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration, is stepping down after just over a year in the role.
President Donald Trump confirmed the departure, saying simply: “He was having some difficulties.”
So what happened behind the scenes?
Makary, a British-American surgeon and former Johns Hopkins University professor, had become a well-known figure during the Covid era.
And was closely linked to the “Make America Healthy Again” movement backed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
But his time at the FDA reportedly created friction from multiple directions.
Leadership Turmoil
He resisted pressure to approve more flavoured vape products — despite support from some inside the White House.
He also faced backlash from anti-abortion groups after the FDA approved a cheaper generic version of the abortion pill mifepristone.
Pharmaceutical companies were unhappy too, especially after several drug rejections involving cancer and rare disease treatments.
Trump still praised Makary as “a great doctor” and “a friend”, while Kennedy thanked him for challenging “entrenched interests”.
The bigger picture? America’s health leadership is starting to look like a revolving door.
And in Washington, even the people hired to challenge the system can quickly become part of the political storm themselves.
