Archive · 20 Aug 2026
Trump Picks Heidi Overton to Lead FDA Amid Health Clashes
President Donald Trump chose Dr. Heidi Overton to run the Food and Drug Administration.
The FDA helps decide whether medicines, vaccines and other health products can be used in the United States.
Trump wants the agency to approve treatments faster, encourage innovation and help lower drug prices.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. also wants major changes through his Make America Healthy Again movement.
Overton has supported an effort to separate the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine into three shots.
Scientists and medical groups say vaccines do not cause autism.
Overton has also criticized abortion pills, which could lead to tighter rules if she becomes commissioner.
The Senate must approve her, and some senators have already raised concerns about her qualifications and policy views.
The next FDA leader will also inherit unfinished work involving foods, antidepressants, vaccines, vaping products and drug approvals.
President Donald Trump selected White House aide and physician Heidi Overton to lead the Food and Drug Administration.
Overton would face competing priorities involving faster approvals, deregulation, lower drug prices and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again agenda.
She supported efforts to separate the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine and appeared with Trump during related promotions.
Overton’s criticism of abortion pills could lead to renewed scrutiny of FDA rules that made the medications more accessible.
Her Senate confirmation may face opposition over her vaccine views, lack of managerial experience and positions on abortion pills.
- Who
- President Donald Trump selected physician and White House aide Dr. Heidi Overton to lead the Food and Drug Administration.
- What
- Trump nominated Overton to become FDA commissioner, replacing Dr. Marty Makary, who resigned in May.
- When
- Trump announced the selection on Wednesday; the articles identify the publication date as August 20, 2026.
- Where
- The nomination concerns the United States Food and Drug Administration and will be considered by the United States Senate.
- Why
- Trump said Overton would advance faster cures, innovation, lower drug prices and the Make America Healthy Again agenda.
Administration Supporters
Critics and Medical Concerns
FDA direction
Administration Supporters
Supporters say Overton can advance faster cures, innovation, lower drug prices and the Make America Healthy Again agenda.
Critics and Medical Concerns
Critics question whether faster approvals and deregulation could conflict with the FDA’s public-health responsibilities.
Vaccines
Administration Supporters
Overton supported Trump’s effort to separate the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine into three individual immunizations.
Critics and Medical Concerns
Medical groups and scientific consensus reject a causal link between vaccines and autism. Senator Bill Cassidy called Overton’s participation in the vaccine order almost disqualifying.
Abortion pills
Administration Supporters
Abortion opponents argue that online prescribing and distribution of abortion pills undermine state abortion restrictions and favor tighter controls.
Critics and Medical Concerns
Supporters of existing access rules are concerned that Overton could roll back or restrict FDA policies that made the medications more accessible.
Qualifications
Administration Supporters
Trump and Kennedy praised Overton’s judgment, professionalism, discipline and commitment to the American people.
Critics and Medical Concerns
Cassidy cited her lack of managerial experience, while Democratic Senator Patty Murray called her a far-right, anti-abortion extremist.
- Nominee
- Dr. Heidi Overton, a physician, White House aide and deputy director of the White House Domestic Policy Council
- Agency
- United States Food and Drug Administration
- Previous commissioner
- Dr. Marty Makary resigned in May, leaving several FDA initiatives unfinished
- Confirmation
- Overton must be approved by the narrowly Republican-led Senate
- Education
- She attended the University of New Mexico and earned a doctorate in clinical investigation from Johns Hopkins University
- Prior policy role
- Before joining Trump’s administration, she was chief policy officer at the America First Policy Institute
- Key controversies
- Her support for separating the MMR vaccine and criticism of abortion pills are expected to draw scrutiny
