Kyle Diamantas, the 38-year-old lawyer now leading the Food and Drug Administration on an interim basis, spent years defending Abbott Laboratories against claims that its infant formula increased the risk of a life-threatening intestinal condition in premature babies. Abbott ultimately lost that lawsuit and paid $495 million in damages.
Diamantas took over as acting FDA commissioner this week after Marty Makary resigned following a contentious 13-month tenure marked by clashes with Congress over drug regulation and abortion medication policy. President Trump had already signaled his intention to oust Makary, reportedly frustrated over the agency's rejection of fruit-flavored vapes.
Before joining the FDA in February 2025, Diamantas was a partner at the Miami-based Jones Day law firm, where he spent more than a decade handling regulatory and compliance matters for food, drug, and consumer goods companies. Trump described him as a "very talented person" in recent remarks about the appointment.
In his previous role as the FDA's deputy commissioner for food, Diamantas oversaw nutrition and food safety protocols while setting the strategic direction for U.S. food policy. He also served as liaison between the FDA, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the White House, and represented the agency in international food negotiations and with foreign governments.
Diamantas's ascent marks a departure from the turbulent Makary era. Within FDA circles, he is viewed as a stabilizing force who managed to keep senior leadership intact in the Human Foods Program while other divisions experienced significant turnover, according to former agency officials.
The transition comes as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that the search for a permanent FDA commissioner is already underway. Kennedy praised Diamantas's work on what the administration calls the MAHA food agenda, which has included updating dietary guidelines to elevate meats and vegetables and removing petroleum-based artificial dyes from foods.
Diamantas has no medical background but holds a law degree from the University of Florida. He has become a visible presence in health influencer circles over the past year, appearing on podcasts featuring personalities who promote carnivore diets and longevity optimization.
His connection to the Trump family runs deeper than his professional credentials. Diamantas is a close friend of Donald Trump Jr., according to social media posts from 2021 showing the two men together at a hunting club.
During his time as deputy commissioner, Diamantas took the lead on the dietary guidelines overhaul, which inverted the traditional food pyramid by placing meats and vegetables at the widest point. In a December 2025 interview with Politico, he cited the removal of artificial dyes as his biggest achievement in the first year of the Trump administration and discussed plans to focus on infant formula safety, including microbiological concerns following recent botulism cases.
On the question of ultra-processed foods, Diamantas struck a libertarian tone. "We're not looking to ban people from eating ultra-processed foods. If you want to go have a box of Ding Dongs after this, you can do that. This is America," he said, adding that the goal is consumer awareness rather than restriction.
Diamantas had previously agreed to recuse himself from infant formula matters for one year after his FDA appointment, given his work defending Abbott. He indicated he was prepared to resume involvement in that portfolio and would work to ensure formula safety moving forward.
The acting commissioner's trajectory from corporate law to the nation's top drug and food regulator reflects the Trump administration's preference for executives with business backgrounds and limited federal bureaucratic experience. Whether his temporary post becomes permanent depends on confirmation proceedings that Kennedy said would move forward with urgency.
Author James Rodriguez: "Diamantas walks a tightrope between deregulation and genuine safety oversight, but his past as Abbott's lawyer defending a formula tied to infant harm will dog every decision he makes at the FDA."
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