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Trump’s commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Martin Makary, has resigned. During Makary’s 13-month tenure, he attempted to split the difference between Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again agenda and a more traditional approach to regulation, ultimately angering both camps. “Nobody was happy with what he did,” says Dr. Aaron Kesselheim, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Shortly before his resignation, Makary had drawn the ire of President Trump for attempting to block the approval of fruit-flavored vapes, and anti-abortion groups for not placing harsher restrictions on the abortion pill mifepristone. But even before Makary took the helm, mass layoffs and the loss of scientific expertise had already thrown the FDA, which has oversight powers extending to more than a fifth of the U.S. economy, in turmoil.

The FDA’s deputy commissioner for food, Kyle Diamantis, will now assume Makary’s position in an acting capacity. Diamantas, a personal friend of Donald Trump Jr., does not have a background in medicine. The abrupt leadership shakeup is worrisome for the future of health and medicine in the United States, says Dr. Robert Steinbrook, the health research director at watchdog organization Public Citizen. “We need a strong public health agency,” he explains. “[But] when you pick them apart for particular theories and the idiosyncrasies of the Health and Human Services secretary, you destroy things which take years, if not decades, to rebuild.”

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.

AMY GOODMAN: Following a growing pressure campaign from powerful Republicans, anti-abortion groups and other allies of President Trump, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Martin Makary resigned Tuesday. He had served in the position since April of 2025. President Trump spoke to reporters at the White House ahead of his departure for China and said he preferred not to say if Makary had been fired or resigned.

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PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Everybody wants that job. It’s a very important job. Marty is a terrific guy, but he’s going to go on, and he’s going to lead a good life. REPORTER: Should Americans be concerned that” — PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: He was having — he was having some difficulty. You know, he’s a great doctor, and he was having some difficulty.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Everybody wants that job. It’s a very important job. Marty is a terrific guy, but he’s going to go on, and he’s going to lead a good life.

REPORTER: Should Americans be concerned that” —

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: He was having — he was having some difficulty. You know, he’s a great doctor, and he was having some difficulty.

AMY GOODMAN: The Wall Street Journal reported Dr. Makary was pushed out in part because he tried to block FDA approval of fruit-flavored vapes, angering President Trump, who saw approval as important to his MAGA base. Dr. Makary also drew ire from anti-abortion groups for not moving quickly enough to restrict access to the abortion drug mifepristone.

The agency was already in turmoil before Dr. Makary became commissioner. HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. had already fired 3,500 workers from the FDA, roughly 20% of its workforce.

FDA’s deputy commissioner for food, Kyle Diamantis, will take on the role in an acting capacity as FDA commissioner. Diamantis was previously an attorney in Miami who represented Abbott Laboratories, a manufacturer of baby formula. He’s also a personal friend of Donald Trump Jr. He does not have a background in medicine.

For more, we’re joined by two guests. Dr. Robert Steinbrook is Health Research Group director at Public Citizen. And Dr. Aaron Kesselheim is a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Kesselheim, let’s begin with you. I want you to respond to Makary leaving, but start off by talking about the significance of the Food and Drug Administration.

DR. AARON KESSELHEIM: Well, first off, thanks for having me.

I think the Food and Drug Administration is one of the most important public health agencies in the United States, if not the world. The oversight of the Food and Drug Administration extends to about a quarter of the economy, including prescription drugs, medical devices, a lot of food oversight. It has some things to say about cosmetics and nutritional supplements. There are some reports that, on average, the average person touches about 12 to 15 FDA-regulated products over........

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