‘Surely This Can’t Be Right’: Anti-Abortion Activists Unnerved by Temporary Lead at FDA

Activists opposed to abortion are expressing concern about the acting head of the Food and Drug Administration, Kyle Diamantas, after it was disclosed that he was once on a legal team that represented Planned Parenthood.The anti-abortion movement has had a fraught relationship with the Trump administration as activists have lobbied the federal government to restrict access to abortion pills to no avail. On Tuesday, the rift was thrust into the public eye once again when it was reported that Dr. Marty Makary would resign as the head of the agency. Last week, Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America called for President Trump to fire him over his “indifference” to abortion pills.The choice of Mr. Diamantas as acting FDA commissioner gives anti-abortion activists no repose after disappointment over his representation of the abortion provider in a property dispute. “Kyle Diamantas previously was listed in court records as counsel for Planned Parenthood of Greater Orlando. He is temporarily filling the vacant position after Marty Makary’s resignation,” wrote the founder of Live Action, Lila Rose, on X. “We cannot allow someone who represented Planned Parenthood to oversee rules surrounding the deadly abortion pill mifepristone that has killed MILLIONS of babies. @realDonaldTrump, we need a strong pro-life nominee to replace him IMMEDIATELY,” she said. Senator Josh Hawley shared her posted and wrote, “Surely this can’t be right.”A conservative strategist, Alex Bruesewitz, tried to alleviate concerns about Mr. Diamantas, writing, “Kyle was a junior associate initially assigned to the case, but he later removed himself from the case because of his personal beliefs. Kyle is a good man, is pro life, and he is focused on delivering on President Trump’s promise to MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN.”However, the president of Students for Life, Kristan Hawkins, responded to Mr. Bruesewitz, saying, “If you are my type of ‘pro-life,’ you would NEVER allow your name, junior associate or not, to be listed as defending the largest abortion vendor in America.”As the concern spread online, Mr. Diamantas addressed the matter on Tuesday night with an anti-abortion activist and leader of the March for Life, Jennie Bradley Lichter. Ms. Lichter tried to calm the storm, noting that “within hours of being handed this big new job, he was on the phone with pro-life leaders – which is an encouraging sign of where his priorities lie.”She said she is “optimistic that the cause of Life will get a full and fair hearing at the FDA,” and that there will be “real movement” on the agency’s review of the abortion drug mifepristone. Some anti-abortion activists shared her post and expressed optimism about Mr. Diamantas. Many anti-abortion activists want the Trump administration to reverse Biden-era rules that let doctors prescribe abortion pills online and ship them through the mail, but so far, the government has not taken action to do so as a case on the matter plays out at the Supreme Court. They are also frustrated by the FDA’s decision last fall to approve a generic version of the abortion pill. Disappointment with the administration extends beyond the FDA. In May 2025, the Justice Department asked a judge to dismiss a lawsuit brought by Idaho, Kansas, and Missouri that seeks to block the ability of doctors to prescribe abortion pills by telehealth appointments. In January, the department asked a federal judge to put a similar lawsuit from Louisiana.

‘Surely This Can’t Be Right’: Anti-Abortion Activists Unnerved by Temporary Lead at FDA

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