Trump nominates Heidi Overton to lead FDA

President Donald Trump nominated Dr. Heidi Overton, a White House domestic policy aide, to lead the U.S. United States — Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Overton, a physician and deputy director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, is a close ally of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and a champion of the Make America Healthy Again movement. If confirmed by the Senate, she would replace Marty Makary, who resigned in May after clashes with the White House over flavored vapes and abortion pills. Overton has been a vocal critic of abortion and has called for stricter regulation of medication abortion. She has also supported Trump's executive order to reduce the childhood vaccine schedule and split the MMR vaccine into separate shots, a move opposed by medical groups. The FDA has faced significant challenges, including the loss of over 3,000 staff, high-level turnover, and controversies over drug approvals and vaccine policy. Industry analysts have expressed concerns about Overton's lack of management and drug regulatory experience, warning that her appointment could further destabilize the agency and accelerate staff departures. The nomination comes amid ongoing investigations into foodborne illness outbreaks and debates over peptide regulation and ultraprocessed foods.