(LifeSiteNews) — The president of the March for Life is “optimistic” about the interim commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, despite his past connection to Planned Parenthood.
Jennie Lichter shared that she recently had spoken to Kyle Diamantas about his background.
Diamantas took over on Tuesday for Marty Makary, who has since left the administration. Initial pro-life concerns were raised about Diamantas, who once was a listed attorney for a lawsuit Planned Parenthood brought in Florida.
However, he recently shared that he regretted that assignment and asked to be removed due to his opposition to abortion.
Lichter, the president of March for Life, confirmed this reporting in her own recent comments.
“Had a great convo last night with Kyle Diamantas, the new acting FDA Commissioner. In other words, 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 wrote on X on May 13.
“I’m optimistic that the cause of life will get a full and fair hearing at the FDA, incl. real movement on the mifepristone safety study,” Lichter stated.
Makary had faced criticism from pro-life leaders for slow-walking an alleged study on the safety of chemical abortion drugs, with Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) criticizing the agency. Furthermore, Makary allowed for the approval of a new abortion drug, despite promises to investigate safety concerns.
The March for Life is “looking forward to working with” the FDA “in this new era to make sure abortion drug companies can’t continue to lie to women about their drugs that are NOT ‘safer than tylenol,'” Lichter wrote.
She also said the FDA must stop “abusive men … from ordering these dangerous drugs on the internet and force-feeding them to pregnant women.”
Had a great convo last night with Kyle Diamantas, the new acting FDA Commissioner. In other words, 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.
After talking w him I’m…
— Jennie Bradley Lichter (@JennieMFL) May 13, 2026
In a follow-up note, Lichter said, “My understanding is that when he was initially put on the [Planned Parenthood] case he felt he couldn’t say no – but he ultimately asked to be removed, for conscience reasons.”
“I know other good and faithful attorneys who have had similar experiences; it’s a tough thing about being a young lawyer,” she said.
While the comments from both Lichter and Lila Rose, who reported a similar conversation, are encouraging, there are still reasons for concern.
It is not a given that Diamantas will ultimately become the permanent FDA leader.
Furthermore, the Trump administration is currently fighting a lawsuit from Louisiana which takes aim at the Biden administration’s loosening of abortion drug restrictions. The legally questionable changes undermine Louisiana’s laws against abortion, the state argues.
The Supreme Court has several times blocked a Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals’ ruling which itself prohibited the Biden administration’s lax policies.
In a brief order on Thursday, the court indefinitely extended its block on a lower court ruling that halted a Biden-era policy allowing the abortion pill mifepristone to be prescribed and delivered by mail, LifeSiteNews reported.