(CNN) US Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb said in a letter to staff Tuesday that he will be leaving the agency.

"It's is hard for me to write this note to share with you the news that I'll be leaving my job as the Commissioner of Food and Drugs in the next month. There's perhaps nothing that could pull me away from this role other than the challenge of being apart from my family for these past two years and missing my wife and three young children," says the letter, which the FDA tweeted

An administration official familiar with the situation said the move has been in the works for several months. Gottlieb has been commuting weekly to Washington from his home in Connecticut and is leaving to spend more time with his family, the official said.

Gottlieb tweeted that he is "grateful for the opportunity to help lead this wonderful agency."

I'm immensely grateful for the opportunity to help lead this wonderful agency, for the support of my colleagues, for the public health goals we advanced together, and the strong support of @SecAzar and @realDonaldTrump - This has been a wonderful journey and parting is very hard. https://t.co/1Zu9y7NTwR — Scott Gottlieb, M.D. (@SGottliebFDA) March 5, 2019

Gottlieb previously served as the agency's deputy commissioner for medical and scientific affairs. After he was appointed by President Donald Trump, he was sworn in as the 23rd commissioner on May 11, 2017.

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