President Trump is expected to nominate Dr. Heidi Overton as the new FDA commissioner, a move that follows her recent advocacy for reducing childhood vaccine requirements in states. Overton, currently deputy assistant to the president for domestic policy, stood by Trump during his announcement earlier this month of an executive order aimed at limiting recommended vaccines for school entry.
During the event, Dr. Overton stated the initiative would allow states to recognize “gold standard” vaccination recommendations and reduce mandates, emphasizing that changes could be implemented immediately through state legislation rather than court cases. She described working with states to align policies with European approaches, saying: “We are going to be working directly with states so that we’re not reliant on the court case to resolve.”
A physician and board-certified public health specialist, Overton previously served as chief policy officer at the America First Policy Institute, where she wrote articles denouncing abortion as “corrosive” to women and urging stricter oversight of abortion pill prescriptions. She has called these medications “far more dangerous to women,” aligning with conservative efforts to restrict access.
In September, Dr. Overton collaborated with Calley Means on a MAHA strategy report advocating for additional reviews of food chemicals and heightened pharmaceutical ad oversight. The report urged states to adopt the “gold standard” childhood vaccine recommendations to ease school entry requirements for parents.
Overton earned her doctorate in clinical investigation at Johns Hopkins Hospital, where she also completed residency in general surgery. She previously co-wrote a 2017 op-ed with former FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, blaming surgeons’ prescribing practices for the opioid crisis. Makary’s tenure ended in May after significant agency restructuring and leadership turnover.
The nomination comes as Kyle Diamantas, acting FDA commissioner since March 2025, oversees operations pending Senate confirmation of Overton. She will need Senate approval before assuming her role.
