Trump's FDA Pick Faces GOP Revolt Over Vaccine Stance

President Trump announced Wednesday he is nominating Dr. Heidi Overton to serve as FDA commissioner. Overton is currently deputy assistant to the president for domestic policy.

• 3 finalists included oncologist Jeffrey Vacirca and Pentagon official Stephen Ferrara.
• Overton holds an M.D. from the University of New Mexico and a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins.
• She previously served as chief policy officer at the America First Policy Institute.
• Acting commissioner Kyle Diamantas has run the FDA since Makary resigned in May.

Why it matters: The FDA commissioner job carries overlapping, sometimes conflicting demands. Drug companies want faster approvals; MAHA allies want tighter scrutiny of vaccines and food additives; anti-abortion groups want abortion-pill access restricted.

• Overton stood beside Trump when he signed an order seeking to split the MMR vaccine into three shots, against the advice of medical groups.
• She has been critical of abortion pills and, if confirmed, would have authority to roll back rules that expanded their accessibility.

How 46 sources split on this story

Where they split: Left-leaning outlets emphasize Overton's presence at vaccine events and her position on abortion pills as policy risks; right-leaning outlets frame her record as delivering on Trump's health transformation agenda.

What’s next: Overton must win Senate confirmation, including scrutiny from the Senate health committee.

• Sen. Bill Cassidy, committee chair, has criticized Trump's vaccine-skeptic actions.
• How will Overton handle the unresolved e-cigarette marketing decisions that contributed to Makary's exit?
• Will the Senate confirm her without defections from Republicans skeptical of MAHA health policies?
• What position will she take on the ongoing FDA review of antidepressants and their use during pregnancy?