President Trump reportedly signed off on a plan to remove FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, as tensions rise over the agency’s vaping agenda.
A reported White House plan to remove FDA Commissioner Marty Makary has reignited questions about how far President Trump is willing to intervene in the Food and Drug Administration’s leadership.
According to two sources, Trump approved a plan to fire Makary. The president did not provide clear answers when asked about the possibility of an ouster on Friday, leaving open whether any termination is imminent or whether the plan could be revised or dropped.
The timing of a potential dismissal remains uncertain. It was also reported that the president could change his mind, which adds another layer of unpredictability to the situation for the FDA and for the administration’s broader regulatory approach.
Makary’s appointment to lead the FDA came after he was confirmed in March 2025. He is a British-American surgeon, and his tenure has now become part of a larger political debate over the agency’s direction.
The Wall Street Journal first reported that Trump had signed off on a plan to fire Makary, pointing to internal strain around the FDA’s priorities. In recent months, there have been reports of conflict and tension over what the FDA should focus on and how quickly it should move on key policy goals.
One flashpoint cited in the reporting involves vaping regulation. On May 6, the FDA approved flavored e-cigarettes. The Wall Street Journal reported that the approval came only after Trump pressured Makary to approve fruit-flavored vapes, which he had been refusing to do.
That reporting also described a sharp clash between the president’s advisers and the FDA commissioner. The Journal said advisers told Trump that Makary was blocking the vaping agenda and described him as a problem for the administration.
In practical terms, the reported sequence suggests an unusually direct linkage between presidential political pressure and the FDA’s regulatory calendar—especially in a market where federal decisions can move quickly and have immediate commercial and public health implications.
If Makary were removed as the sources indicate, the FDA’s next commissioner could inherit both the momentum and the controversy created by the agency’s flavored-vape decision, shaping how regulators handle future submissions in related categories.
The uncertainty around when a firing could occur matters for regulated industries and for public stakeholders trying to understand whether decisions reflect established regulatory standards or more abrupt shifts in executive priorities.
For lawmakers and oversight watchers. the reported tension also raises familiar questions about the balance of power between the White House and independent regulatory execution.. The FDA is expected to apply scientific and legal standards. but the reports suggest the White House is weighing in forcefully on outcomes.
As Trump continues to dodge direct questions about Makary, the episode underscores how agency leadership can become a focal point in high-stakes policy areas—especially when the administration’s stated goals collide with an FDA commissioner’s stance on regulatory approvals.
Trump FDA Commissioner Marty Makary firing vaping approvals flavored e-cigarettes White House regulation FDA leadership