President Donald Trump made headlines late last year when he nominated Dr. Marty Makary to serve as head of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

That move led to a major victory this week when senators voted 56 to 44 in favor of confirming Trump's nominee. 

Three Democrats sided with GOP in voting to confirm Makary

The Hill noted that although Makary's confirmation vote broke down largely along partisan lines on Tuesday, three Democratic senators decided to support him.

Those individuals were Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin as well as Sens. Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen, both of whom represent New Hampshire.

According to Fox News, Makary served as a professor at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and has been a sharp critic of the FDA.

In an op-ed piece Makary authored four years ago, he called for "fresh leadership at the FDA to change the culture at the agency and promote scientific advancement, not hinder it."

"We now have a generational opportunity in American healthcare"

Fox News reported that during his confirmation hearing, Makary indicated that he would pursue priorities put forward by the president as well as Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

"We now have a generational opportunity in American healthcare. President Trump and Secretary Kennedy's focus on healthy foods has galvanized a grassroots movement in America," Makary told lawmakers.

"Childhood obesity is not a willpower problem, and the rise of early-onset Alzheimer's is not a genetic cause. We should be, and we will, be addressing food as it impacts our health," he insisted.

"Thanks to the courage of President Trump and Secretary Kennedy, we now have a generational opportunity to usher in radical transparency to facilitate more cures, meaningful treatments and diagnostics at the FDA to help people take care of their own health," the nominee declared.

Makary says he will work with DOGE to root out unnecessary spending at FDA

What's more, Makary pledged that he would work closely with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to identify waste and mismanagement at the FDA.

"If confirmed, I will do my own independent assessment on personnel," the medical school professor was quoted as stating.

"At the same time, I want to make sure that the scientists and food inspectors and staff, central to the core mission of the agency, have all the resources they need to do their job well," he went on to stress.