Top Trump Administration Official Abruptly Resigns - White House Responds After FDA's Makary Steps Aside
Washington, D.C. - May 15, 2026
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary Resigns Amid Pressure From Pro-Life Advocates and Administration Frustrations
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary resigned Tuesday, ending a turbulent tenure at the agency amid mounting pressure from pro-life advocates and frustration from allies of the Trump administration over the pace of health policy changes.
A White House official told Fox News Digital that Makary’s departure was related to “process at the FDA” rather than any single issue. The official insisted there was “no bad blood” between President Donald Trump and the outgoing commissioner. The official also said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pushed for Makary’s resignation as dissatisfaction with the agency’s direction intensified.
Kyle Diamantas, the FDA’s deputy commissioner for food, will step in as acting commissioner.
A White House spokesperson said Diamantas previously removed himself from a legal case involving Planned Parenthood due to his personal beliefs.
“Kyle Diamantas was a junior legal associate who was assigned to that case by his superiors,” White House spokesperson Kush Desai said. “He expressed his objections to representing Planned Parenthood based on his personal convictions, and ultimately removed himself from the case,” he said.
Trump publicly praised Makary following news of the resignation, calling him both a friend and a capable leader.
“He’s a great doctor and he was having some difficulty, but he’s going to go on and he’s going to do well,” Trump told reporters as he departed the White House.
Trump also posted a message on Truth Social thanking Makary for his service. “I want to thank Dr. Marty Makary for having done a great job at the FDA,” Trump wrote. “So much was accomplished under his leadership. He was a hard worker, who was respected by all, and will go on to have an outstanding career in Medicine. Kyle Diamantas, a very talented person, will be put in the Acting position.”
Kennedy also offered praise for Makary while confirming the administration is already searching for a permanent replacement.
“Marty, you took on entrenched interests, challenged the status quo, and never lost sight of the American people we serve,” Kennedy wrote. “You pushed forward critical reforms and helped advance our mission to Make America Healthy Again.”
“The search for a new Commissioner is already underway, and we will move forward with urgency,” he added.
Makary’s resignation follows growing anger from pro-life activists who believed the administration had not moved aggressively enough on abortion policy, particularly involving mifepristone. When Trump returned to office, many anti-abortion advocates expected the FDA to reverse policies allowing the abortion pill to be prescribed through telehealth visits and shipped through the mail. Instead, those policies remained in place, and critics argued the agency was slow to revisit safety reviews or broader abortion drug policy.
Live Action President Lila Rose had publicly called for Makary’s removal. “President Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Kennedy must end this now, remove Commissioner Makary, stop the mail order abortion scheme, and pull these child-killing drugs from the market,” Rose said.
Republican Sen. Josh Hawley also welcomed the resignation. “He was terrible to the pro-life movement,” Hawley said. “He attempted to place pro-abortion lawyers in key positions,” Fox News reported. “Makary’s resignation is an opportunity for the FDA to reset and protect life,” Hawley added.
Reports had also suggested internal administration frustration over the pace of broader “Make America Healthy Again” initiatives, with critics arguing the FDA had moved too slowly on several major priorities.
Makary had been scheduled to testify before the Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday, making the timing of the resignation particularly notable. His exit marks another major personnel shift inside the Trump administration as leadership continues reshaping federal agencies and advancing key policy priorities.
Serious Threat To Our Country' - Trump Issues Dire Warning To The Nation, Names The Biggest Challenge Americans Face
THE RED DILEMMA: Trump Outlines Midterm War Script at Road to Majority Summit After Socialist Swings Fracture New York Base
WASHINGTON, D.C. — JUNE 29, 2026 — President Donald Trump warned Friday that a wave of far-left victories in New York City’s Democratic primaries represents one of the greatest dangers facing the United States, arguing the results should serve as a wake-up call ahead of November’s midterm elections.
Speaking before thousands at the Faith and Freedom Coalition’s annual Road to Majority conference in Washington, Trump blasted the Democratic Party’s leftward shift after several candidates backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani scored major primary victories earlier this week.
“These ruthless communists will attack all religions, but in particular Christianity,” Trump told the audience.
“This is the greatest threat to our country since its founding.”
Trump’s remarks came just days after three progressive candidates supported by Mamdani won Democratic primary races in New York, including two members of the Democratic Socialists of America.
Their victories have fueled growing Republican efforts to portray the Democratic Party as increasingly dominated by its progressive wing heading into the 2026 midterm elections.
Trump argued that the movement extends beyond economic policy and represents a broader ideological threat.
At one point during his speech, the president described communists as “animals” who would assassinate their political opponents, though he did not offer evidence supporting that claim.
The remarks carried additional significance because Trump was speaking at the Washington Hilton, the same hotel where an armed man attempted to breach security while the president attended the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in April.
Authorities later identified the suspect as 31-year-old California resident Cole Tomas Allen, who has pleaded not guilty to charges that he attempted to assassinate the president.
Security around Friday’s event appeared noticeably tighter, with additional guards stationed throughout the venue and several entrances blocked off.
Republicans have increasingly seized on the New York primary results as evidence that Democrats are moving further left while voters remain primarily concerned about inflation, housing costs and the broader economy.
Political observers have suggested the victories give Republicans fresh material as they seek to defend their narrow congressional majorities this fall.
The candidates backed by Mamdani defeated two incumbent House Democrats and another candidate supported by the Democratic establishment.
While Republicans frequently characterize Democratic Socialists as communists, democratic socialism generally advocates expanding government-run social programs through the electoral process rather than replacing democratic institutions.
Many candidates aligned with the movement support policies including universal health care, tuition-free public college, expanded child care programs, stronger labor protections and higher taxes on wealthy Americans.
Several have also made opposition to U.S. military aid to Israel and support for Palestinians central themes of their campaigns.
Democrats quickly rejected Trump’s characterization.
Aidan Johnson, a spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, argued Republicans were attempting to distract voters from substantive issues.
“Know they can’t win on the issues, so we’re seeing them melt down in real time, resorting to ineffective boogeyman attacks,” Johnson said.
Trump’s appearance also highlighted some of the tensions within his own political coalition.
The president has remained popular with many evangelical Christians by backing policies such as protecting women’s sports and opposing biological males competing in female athletics.
At the same time, some pro-Israel Christians have criticized Trump’s ceasefire agreement with Iran, while some anti-abortion advocates have argued the administration has not gone far enough on pro-life priorities.
During Friday’s speech, Trump defended his handling of Iran and declared that his administration had successfully prevented Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
The Faith and Freedom Coalition gathering has long served as one of the Republican Party’s premier events for evangelical voters and conservative activists, Reuters reported.
With the midterm elections approaching, Trump’s speech offered a preview of what is likely to become a central Republican campaign message: portraying the Democratic Party’s progressive wing as increasingly driving the party’s agenda while urging voters to reject what Republicans view as an increasingly radical political movement.
