The new acting commissioner of the US FDA is a lawyer

This is very current — Diamantas became acting FDA commissioner just five days ago. Here's the full picture.

Kyle Diamantas is a 38-year-old Florida lawyer who, as of May 12, 2026, is the acting commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a degree in political science and then from the University of Florida with a law degree. He went on to work at Baker Donelson and then Jones Day, where he made partner in 2024. Al Jazeera

His path to the FDA's top job is, to put it gently, unconventional. He first landed at the FDA in 2025 as director of the human foods program, following his previous role as Don Jr.'s hunting buddy. In March 2021, Don Jr. and Diamantas were photographed together holding dead Osceola wild turkeys, and the founder of the hunting outfit described Diamantas as Trump Jr.'s "good friend." Wikipedia

He stepped into the acting commissioner role after the resignation of Marty Makary. Makary had served as head of the agency for 13 months before resigning amid clashes with the White House and lawmakers over the availability of abortion drugs and other issues, including fruit-flavored vapes for adults — a top priority for major tobacco donors — and a series of rejections for drugs for rare diseases. The immediate trigger was Makary's refusal to authorize flavored vapes. Roll CallAl Jazeera

The reaction within the agency has been mixed but not hostile. Within the FDA, Diamantas is viewed as a non-controversial pick who has endeared himself by keeping senior leadership in place, and has a more balanced style of leadership than his predecessor. But critics immediately raised the obvious concern — he is a lawyer, not a doctor, who will oversee products making up a quarter of the U.S. economy. The FDA has been badly battered by DOGE staff cuts and an exodus of senior scientists, which is part of why Diamantas was the available option. As one Yale public health professor put it, "Mr. Diamantas is not an MD. It's an unusual choice. But given the circumstances, it's the logical choice." Roll Call + 2

There are also conflict of interest questions baked into his background. Before joining the FDA, Diamantas represented Abbott Laboratories in a lawsuit claiming the company knowingly sold harmful infant formula, and represented British American Tobacco — and he agreed to recuse himself from matters involving both companies. On the other side of the political ledger, pro-life groups were alarmed to discover that Diamantas had previously represented Planned Parenthood of Greater Orlando in a 2017 Florida Supreme Court case while at Baker Donelson, raising concerns from anti-abortion advocates about who will oversee rules on the abortion pill mifepristone. Al JazeeraAxios

He is in the job on an acting basis for now, and a permanent nominee would require Senate confirmation hearings. His tenure will be watched closely given the FDA's central role in drug approvals, vaccine oversight, food safety, and the ongoing battles over reproductive health medications and vaping products.