During his Senate confirmation hearing, President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Martin Makary, signaled a strong focus on food safety and public health. He pledged to reassess food chemicals, improve school meal programs, and evaluate recent staffing cuts that have affected the agency’s ability to conduct food inspections.

Makary, a physician and public health advocate, has been vocal in his criticism of food additives, pesticides, and ultra-processed foods. He reiterated concerns that harmful chemicals in food may be contributing to chronic illnesses in children. “We are drugging our nation’s children at scale,” he told senators, emphasizing the need for a reevaluation of the Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) process for food ingredients.

His stance aligns with the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, championed by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. However, Makary suggested he may take a more moderate approach, emphasizing that food plays a major role in public health but should be considered alongside other factors.

A key priority for Makary is improving school meal programs, particularly in districts that want healthier options but lack the resources to implement them. He has already begun discussing potential pilot programs with members of the Trump administration and NIH nominee Jay Bhattacharya.

Makary also addressed concerns over staffing cuts at the FDA, which have raised alarms about the agency’s capacity to oversee food safety. Recent layoffs affected food safety and chemical review teams, and the Trump administration has signaled further reductions. Makary distanced himself from these decisions, noting they were made before his nomination, but committed to assessing whether the cuts have impacted critical inspections and public health efforts.

Senators from both parties pressed Makary on the importance of maintaining food safety inspections, mainly as state agencies perform the majority of produce and animal food checks on behalf of the FDA. With federal budget constraints potentially reducing funding to state inspectors, concerns have grown about oversight gaps. While Makary did not commit to specific funding actions, he promised to review the situation and work to ensure inspections remain robust.