via Latest Political News on Fox News <p>Dr. Tracy Beth Høeg, former acting director of the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), became the second high-ranking official to depart the FDA this week after claiming she was fired Friday.</p><p>Høeg's departure came after that of former FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary, who <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trumps-fda-boss-resigning-admin-taps-next-acting-leader" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">publicly resigned Tuesday</a> after rumors that President <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/person/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a> was unhappy with him <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-responds-reports-fda-chief-mark-makary-could-fired-know-nothing" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">swirled for days</a>.</p><p>Høeg, who <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-fda-pick-clears-last-hurdle-after-flipping-vaccine-question-dem-confirmation-hearing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">worked closely with Makary</a> on regulating drugs before being elevated to CDER head in December, claimed she was forced out.</p><p><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trumps-fda-boss-resigning-admin-taps-next-acting-leader" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>TRUMP'S FDA BOSS RESIGNING AS ADMIN TAPS NEXT ACTING LEADER</strong></a></p><p>"I said I didn’t want to resign," Høeg told MD Reports in an <a href="https://blog.maryannedemasi.com/p/exclusive-fda-official-tracy-heg" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">interview published Friday</a>. "I said I’m not signing a letter of resignation if it’s not my choice."</p><p>"They made it clear that it wasn’t their decision," she told the outlet. "They said it was from someone above them, from someone way above their pay grade."</p><p><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-fda-overhauls-covid-19-vaccine-approval-focus-older-populations-high-risk-individuals" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"><strong>TRUMP FDA OVERHAULS COVID-19 VACCINE APPROVAL TO FOCUS ON OLDER POPULATIONS, HIGH-RISK INDIVIDUALS</strong></a></p><p>Høeg will be replaced by her former deputy, Dr. Mike Davis, according to an FDA email to staff obtained by The Associated Press.</p><p>While the <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/politics/executive/white-house" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White House</a> has yet to officially comment on her departure, Høeg's exodus may be part of a larger shakeup following Makary's resignation.</p><p>In addition to Høeg, former director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) Katherine Szarama is also leaving, along with FDA Chief of Staff Jim Traficant, according to <a href="https://x.com/matthewherper/status/2055446033165844488" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">reporting from STAT News</a>.</p><p>Fox News Digital contacted the White House, the FDA, HHS and Høeg for comment.</p>