Marty Makary resigns as FDA commissioner after internal tensions
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary resigned his position, stepping aside amid a swirl of reports that his tenure was coming to an end.
Updated on: May 12, 2026 / 2:20 PM EDT / CBS News
His departure follows reports of conflict and tension over the FDA's agenda. On May 6, the FDA approved some flavored e-cigarettes from the vaping company Glas Inc., and touted its safety restrictions to limit use by young people. According to The Wall Street Journal , the move came only after Mr. Trump pressured Makary to approve the fruit-flavored vapes, which he had been refusing to do.
One of the sources said Makary is leaving over the e-cigarette dispute, adding that Makary didn't want to approve the flavored varieties but had been forced to by other members of the administration.
CBS News and other outlets had reported in recent days that President Trump had signed off on a plan to fire him . Makary didn't appear Monday in the Oval Office alongside the president and other top public health officials for an event on maternal health.
Speaking to reporters on the South Lawn of the White House on Tuesday afternoon, the president said he did not want to discuss the circumstances of Makary's departure, but called him a "great guy" and a "friend of mine."