RFK Jr. Discussed Curbing FDA Head's Role After Complaints About Management Style

Source: The Wall Street Journal.

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RFK Jr. Discussed Curbing FDA Head's Role After Complaints About Management Style

Kennedy considered installing a new leader to manage the agency day to day

By Liz Essley Whyte
https://www.wsj.com/news/author/liz-essley-whyte
Nov. 15, 2025 5:00 am ET

WASHINGTON--Trump administration officials including Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have discussed scaling back the role of Marty Makary, the Food and Drug Administration commissioner, according to people familiar with the matter.

Discussions regarding concerns over Makary's management included officials at the Department of Health and Human Services, of which the FDA is a part, and later reached the White House, the people said. Among the topics was infighting between Makary's handpicked deputies, those people said. Kennedy weighed whether to add a leader to run the agency day to day while leaving Makary in place as a figurehead, some of the people said.

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Read more: https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/rfk-jr-fda-head-management-7dce398f

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Exclusive: Trump administration officials including Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have discussed scaling back the role of Marty Makary, the Food and Drug Administration commissioner.

— The Wall Street Journal (@wsj.com) 2025-11-15T11:12:25.484355Z

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The Wall Street Journal
‪@wsj.com‬

Exclusive: Trump administration officials including Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have discussed scaling back the role of Marty Makary, the Food and Drug Administration commissioner.

Exclusive RFK Jr. Discussed Curbing FDA Head's Role After Complaints About Management Style
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. considered installing a new leader to manage the agency on a day-to-day basis.
on.wsj.com
November 15, 2025 at 6:12 AM
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