President Donald Trump has nominated Dr. Heidi Overton, deputy director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, to serve as commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, tapping a trusted administration insider to steer the agency through a period of competing regulatory demands.
Announcing the pick on Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump described Overton as a “rockstar” who would deliver on his priorities of faster cures, greater innovation, lower drug prices and further gains for Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again movement.
Overton, a medical doctor, has become a prominent figure in Trump’s second-term administration, appearing alongside the president to unveil health initiatives, including “most favored nation” agreements with drugmakers aimed at reducing prices. She has worked closely with Kennedy and other senior health officials on the administration’s health agenda.
She attended medical school at the University of New Mexico and holds a doctorate in clinical investigation from Johns Hopkins University. Before joining the administration, Overton served as chief policy officer at the America First Policy Institute, a conservative think tank.
The nomination comes as the administration has pursued an aggressive campaign on pharmaceutical pricing, including efforts to tie U.S. drug prices to international rates and repeated pressure on manufacturers to lower costs.
Overton has also drawn attention for her positions on reproductive health. She has argued that Congress should strictly regulate the abortion drug mifepristone, framing tighter oversight as a measure to protect women and children. She previously appeared with Trump during an event on vaccine policy.
If confirmed by the Senate, Overton would inherit a demanding portfolio and a range of unresolved matters. Her predecessor, Dr. Marty Makary, resigned in May, leaving behind unfinished work on issues including ultraprocessed foods, antidepressants and COVID-19 vaccines.
The FDA commissioner oversees the regulation of drugs, medical devices, food safety and tobacco products, and the role requires navigating tensions between the administration’s policy goals, traditional Republican anti-regulatory interests and Kennedy’s anti-corporate stance.
Overton’s nomination will now proceed to the Senate for confirmation, where lawmakers are expected to scrutinize her regulatory priorities and views on drug approval, pricing and reproductive health.