President Donald Trump nominated Dr. Heidi Overton on Wednesday to lead the Food and Drug Administration, elevating a White House domestic policy official who has shaped the administration’s signature health initiatives over the past year and a half.
Overton, who serves as Deputy Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, has been a central figure in efforts to overhaul the nation’s childhood vaccine schedule and redesign the federal food pyramid. Trump announced the nomination on social media, calling her a “ROCKSTAR” and citing her as someone who is “ALWAYS RIGHT,” according to a quote from Health and Human Services Secretary Kennedy.
Overton holds a medical degree from the University of New Mexico and earned a Ph.D. in clinical investigation from Johns Hopkins University, where she also completed a surgical residency. She is board-certified in public health and general preventive medicine.
Before joining the White House at the start of Trump’s second term in January 2025, Overton served as vice chair and chief policy officer at the America First Policy Institute, a conservative think tank. In that role and as a White House adviser, she has worked closely with the Health and Human Services Department on health policy.
Overton would replace Dr. Marty Makary, who resigned from the FDA commissioner position in May after months of turmoil at the agency. Makary clashed with the White House over vaping policy and access to abortion pills, signaling the administration’s desire for leadership more aligned with its health agenda.
According to a senior administration official, Overton was Trump’s third choice for the position. Former Representative Brad Wenstrup of Ohio and acting FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantas both declined the role, citing personal reasons and concerns about the demands of the job.
Her nomination comes as the FDA faces significant challenges. A recent multistate cyclospora outbreak has raised concerns about food safety oversight, one of the agency’s core responsibilities. The agency is also conducting a safety review of the abortion pill mifepristone, a politically charged issue where Republicans have pushed to reverse Biden-era rules allowing the drug to be mailed and dispensed via telehealth.
Overton has been outspoken on abortion policy. She celebrated the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade, saying it would “allow Americans to reevaluate the value of the potential of every baby in the womb.” In a 2024 Newsweek op-ed, she criticized Vice President Kamala Harris for refusing to condemn late-term abortion.
Her nomination has already drawn criticism from reproductive rights advocates. The organization Reproductive Freedom for All said she celebrated the fall of Roe and “spread junk science about medication abortion” and called for remaking the FDA to serve a different agenda.
If confirmed by the Senate, Overton would oversee an agency that regulates food, drugs, tobacco, and medical devices across an increasingly global market. Her limited prior experience running large organizations has drawn scrutiny, with the New York Times noting she has “little work experience to prepare her to run a large agency.”
Sources
- NBC News — Trump’s nomination of Overton, her background, role in vaccine and food policy, and her statements on abortion
- STAT News — Overton’s position as White House domestic policy official, her health policy leadership, and her involvement in vaccine schedule and food pyramid initiatives
- Washington Post — Overton’s nomination as successor to Makary and her role at the White House Domestic Policy Council
- Bloomberg — Trump’s nomination of Overton and the FDA’s turbulent year
- Reuters — Overton’s medical credentials and educational background
- Reproductive Freedom for All — Criticism of Overton’s nomination and her positions on abortion and medication abortion
