(WASHINGTON) -- Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary intends to resign on Tuesday, two sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.
His departure was in the works after he clashed publicly with lawmakers, major pharmaceutical companies and President Donald Trump himself. He was scheduled to testify on Capitol Hill on Wednesday.
Trump was asked by reporters about Makary's possible resignation on Tuesday and signaled that Deputy Commissioner Kyle Diamanta would temporarily take on the role.
The president said, "Marty is a great guy," but added that he was "having some difficulty."
"Everybody wants that job," Trump said.
The FDA and White House have not responded to requests for comment.
Makary, who is a surgeon by training, gained notoriety during the COVID-19 pandemic, arguing against masks for children and vaccine mandates, and criticizing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for citing Israeli data in recommending boosters rather than conducting its own research.
Since taking office in March 2025, the commissioner has focused his efforts on reshaping vaccine policy in the U.S. and transforming American diets.
Makary appeared in a video on X alongside Kennedy when the secretary announced in May 2025 the removal of the COVID-19 vaccine from the CDC's immunization schedule for "healthy children and pregnant women."
"There's no evidence healthy kids need it today and most countries have stopped recommending it for children," Makary said at the time.
Last year, Makary appeared at a news conference announcing the HHS and FDA would be implementing a series of measures to phase out eight artificial food dyes and colorings from America's food supply by the end of 2026.
Makary said at the time that the agencies are looking to revoke authorization for two synthetic food colorings and to work with the food industry to eliminate six remaining synthetic dyes used in cereal, ice cream, snacks, yogurts and more -- claiming American children "have been living in a toxic soup of synthetic chemicals."
Makary also supported Kennedy's updated federal dietary guidelines earlier this year. The guidelines recommended that Americans limit highly processed foods and refined carbohydrates but also advocated for consuming red meat and full-fat dairy, a reversal of past nutrition guidance.
"For decades, we've been fed a corrupt food pyramid that has had a myopic focus on demonizing natural healthy saturated fats, telling you not to eat eggs and steak and ignoring a giant blind spot: refined carbohydrates, refined sugars, ultra-processed foods," Makary said. "In this new guidance, we are telling young people, kids, schools, you don't need to tiptoe around fat and dairy. ... You don't need to push low-fat milk to kids."
In early May, Trump criticized Makary for not moving quickly enough to approve flavored vape and nicotine products, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.
Trump's advisers informed him that Makary was delaying the president's effort to "save" vaping," a pledge Trump made on social media during his presidential campaign, according to the Journal.
The FDA announced its first authorization of fruit-flavored electronic cigarettes intended for adult smokers on May 6. And last week, the FDA approved four new devices made by Glas, including classic menthol, fresh menthol, gold, and sapphire pods. "Gold" is mango flavored and "sapphire" is blueberry flavored.
The decision, which marked a significant policy shift from federal health officials, raised concerns from pediatrician groups and advocacy organizations about the potential impact on minors.
Makary had told ABC News' Linsey Davis in July, "There is not an approved vaping product in the United States that has one of these cutie-fruity flavors."
"What we're concerned about is kids who are starting vaping from scratch," he added. "I personally have met kids who know they're addicted, they don't want to be addicted, and they can't stop this addiction path that they're on."
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