FDA’s Top Vaccine Official Peter Marks Forced Out — Told to Resign or Be Fired

Dr. Peter Marks, the agency’s top vaccine official and a key figure in the first Trump administration’s Operation Warp Speed, has been ousted from his post.

​Dr. Peter Marks is an American hematologist-oncologist who has served as the director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) since 2016.

As CBER director, Marks was responsible for reviewing and providing advice during product development, evaluating applications, and making approval decisions based on safety and effectiveness data.

He oversaw the FDA’s vaccine programs and played a pivotal part in the rapid development and approval of the experimental COVID-19 vaccines under Operation Warp Speed during President Donald Trump’s first term.

Sources close to the matter told the Wall Street Journal that Marks submitted his resignation on Friday after a blunt ultimatum from a Health and Human Services (HHS) official: step down voluntarily or face termination.

His exit, effective April 5, marks yet another victory for HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s aggressive push to purge the federal health apparatus of what he calls entrenched bureaucrats peddling “misinformation and lies.”

In a scathing resignation letter addressed to acting FDA Commissioner Sara Brenner, he took direct aim at Kennedy, accusing the Secretary of rejecting “truth and transparency” in favor of “subservient confirmation of his misinformation and lies.”

“If Peter Marks does not want to get behind restoring science to its golden standard and promoting radical transparency, then he has no place at FDA under the strong leadership of Secretary Kennedy.”

More from WSJ:

He had wanted to stay in his position, though his support of immunizations conflicted with Kennedy’s skepticism, people familiar said.

Marks offered to work with Kennedy on holding a series of public meetings on vaccines with the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, and he sent a memo to Kennedy proposing listening sessions on immunizations, one of the people said.

“My hope is that during the coming years, the unprecedented assault on scientific truth that has adversely impacted public health in our nation comes to an end,” he wrote in the letter.

Marks will leave the FDA as Kennedy has begun to reshape the Health and Human Services Department, including by making plans to lay off 10,000 employees and close offices.

[…]

Marks is the third top leader at the FDA to leave this year, after the departures of drug chief Dr. Patrizia Cavazzoni and human foods chief Jim Jones.

Marks’ resignation was celebrated online, with prominent voices hailing it as a long-overdue purge of entrenched corruption.

Investigative reporter Steve Kirsch wrote, “GAME CHANGING! Peter Marks is GONE!!! Marks claimed he wanted to stop misinformation but REFUSED all offers to meet with the ‘misinformation spreaders’ to settle the question on just who is spreading the misinformation!”

GAME CHANGING! Peter Marks is GONE!!!

Marks claimed he wanted to stop misinformation but REFUSED all offers to meet with the “misinformation spreaders” to settle the question on just who is spreading the misinformation! pic.twitter.com/sqYRM1eB3D

— Steve Kirsch (@stkirsch) March 29, 2025

Daily Caller journalist Emily Kopp added, “Peter Marks circumvented FDA’s advisors on COVID boosters, spurred the resignations of top vaccine regulators, and unilaterally approved a Duchenne muscular dystrophy drug that just killed a teenager. Many will sanitize his record for political purposes, but I have a long memory.”

Peter Marks circumvented FDA’s advisors on COVID boosters, spurred the resignations of top vaccine regulators, and unilaterally approved a Duchenne muscular dystrophy drug that just killed a teenager. Many will sanitize his record for political purposes, but I have a long memory. pic.twitter.com/dhY7XlZ5r4

— Emily Kopp (@emilyakopp) March 29, 2025

Commentator Camus chimed in, “It’s a great day for accountability—RFK Jr. took out FDA vaccine pusher Peter Marks, and it’s about time! Marks pressed for full mRNA shot approval—not for science, but to set up mandates that trampled our freedoms. He wanted those jabs locked in quick so Biden could force them on us all. Kennedy spotted the ploy and shut him down—smart move! Marks’ exit is a big step in dismantling the Pharma grip. Win for liberty!”

It’s a great day for accountability—RFK Jr. took out FDA vaccine pusher Peter Marks, and it’s about time! Marks pressed for full mRNA shot approval—not for science, but to set up mandates that trampled our freedoms. He wanted those jabs locked in quick so Biden could force them… pic.twitter.com/zABwUnV9CU

— Camus (@newstart_2024) March 29, 2025

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) also weighed in, tweeting, “Last year I held a hearing exposing COVID vaccine malfeasance led by Peter Marks at the FDA. Instead of verifying safety and efficacy of the shots, Marks swept things under the rug and became a cheerleader for the jab. Yesterday Peter Marks resigned from the FDA under RFKjr.!” He followed up, “This is good. In fact, this is what draining the swamp actually looks like. I had the opportunity to depose Peter Marks (recorded interview several hours long), and his conduct at FDA was way out of line. He should have been cut loose years ago.”

Last year I held a hearing exposing COVID vaccine malfeasance led by Peter Marks at the FDA.

Instead of verifying safety and efficacy of the shots, Marks swept things under the rug and became a cheerleader for the jab.

Yesterday Peter Marks resigned from the FDA under RFKjr.! https://t.co/mDXVsfrVou

— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) March 29, 2025

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