Story perspectives

Trump Names Kyle Diamantas Acting FDA Commissioner Amid Pro-Life Outcry

5/14/2026

Summary

Trump Appoints Diamantas

President Donald Trump announced the FDA named Kyle Diamantas acting commissioner after Marty Makary resigned on May 12, 2026.
Diamantas, who joined the FDA in 2025 after stints at Jones Day, Baker Donelson and as junior counsel for Planned Parenthood, was condemned by Kristan Hawkins and Lila Rose, who demanded a pro-life nominee.
Senator Josh Hawley and Marjorie Dannenfelser praised Makary’s exit, urged in-person mifepristone dispensing, and the DOJ moved in January 2026 to pause Liz Murrill’s lawsuit over the 2023 deregulation.

Summary

Makary Resigns

Makary (FDA commissioner) resigned after speculation he would be fired.
He was slated to testify before a Senate Appropriations subcommittee on Wednesday about the FDA’s 2027 budget request.
U.S. President Donald Trump called Makary a “friend” and “great guy” on Truth Social, despite frustration over his reluctance to approve fruit- and menthol-flavored vaping products.
His tenure was noted for rumors of staffing problems and broader agency dysfunction.

Right

Right to Life Demands

Texas Right to Life urged President Donald Trump, the FDA, DOJ and Congress to curb abortion-pill distribution.
The group said the president could require in-person visits, ban mail-order pills, or revoke approval, which advocates say would stop shipments that bypass state bans.
A study found over one in ten women seeking chemical abortion suffer severe complications, 22 times higher than FDA reports, and researchers say the data likely understates risks.

History

Historical Context

FDA approval of mifepristone in September 2000, secured under President Bill Clinton, marked the first federal endorsement of medication abortion and sparked intense anti-abortion opposition. Subsequent rule changes in 2021 and 2023 eased in-person dispensing and pharmacy certification. President Donald Trump’s 2024 appointment of Kyle Diamantas and Texas Right to Life’s demand for in-person dispensing revive that longstanding clash.

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Trump Appoints Diamantas

President Donald Trump announced the FDA named Kyle Diamantas acting commissioner after Marty Makary resigned on May 12, 2026.
Diamantas, who joined the FDA in 2025 after stints at Jones Day, Baker Donelson and as junior counsel for Planned Parenthood, was condemned by Kristan Hawkins and Lila Rose, who demanded a pro-life nominee.
Senator Josh Hawley and Marjorie Dannenfelser praised Makary’s exit, urged in-person mifepristone dispensing, and the DOJ moved in January 2026 to pause Liz Murrill’s lawsuit over the 2023 deregulation.

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