President Donald Trump may be preparing for yet another high-profile shakeup inside his administration — and this time, the target could be Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary.
According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, Trump recently blasted Makary behind closed doors for allegedly dragging his feet on approving flavored vape and nicotine products, an issue the president reportedly sees as politically important with younger MAGA voters.
Sources told the Journal that Makary is now on “thin ice” after Trump “upbraided” him during conversations last weekend.
The confrontation reportedly came after Trump fielded multiple calls from advisers who argued Makary was standing in the way of the president’s vaping agenda. During the 2024 campaign, Trump vowed to “save” vaping and positioned himself as an ally to vape users frustrated with federal restrictions.
“Advisers told the president that Makary has blocked Trump’s vaping agenda and described the commissioner as a problem for the administration,” reporters Liz Essley Whyte and Natalie Andrews wrote. “Makary earlier bucked White House preferences by refusing to OK menthol, mango and blueberry vape flavors from Los Angeles manufacturer Glas.”
The report added that Makary attempted to reassure Trump that he was reconsidering his hardline stance against flavored vape products, though it remains unclear whether the FDA chief ultimately changed course.
“Some of the people said Makary was weighing becoming more open to vape flavor approvals,” the report noted. “Makary earlier wanted to avoid approving fruit flavors or others potentially appealing to children because he was worried about the public health risks.”
Makary, a physician and former Johns Hopkins professor, was nominated by Trump to lead the FDA after the president’s 2024 election victory and was confirmed by the Senate in March 2025.
But if Trump decides to push Makary out, he would become the latest casualty in a growing string of administration shakeups that have rocked Washington in recent weeks.
Former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem was forced out after months of reported tensions inside the administration, while Attorney General Pam Bondi was recently fired amid frustration from Trump allies over legal and political disputes. Their departures fueled growing speculation that Trump is becoming increasingly impatient with officials he believes are out of step with his agenda.
The vaping battle has become particularly politically sensitive for Trump, who has tried to balance public health concerns with support from adult vape users and small-business owners in the industry.
The FDA banned flavored cartridge-based vape products in 2020 amid mounting concerns over youth vaping. Several Democrat-led states, including New York and California, later imposed their own sweeping restrictions on flavored tobacco and nicotine products.
Now, with pressure building inside the White House, Makary’s future may depend on whether he is willing to fall in line with Trump’s push to loosen those restrictions — or risk becoming the next administration official shown the door.
