Dr. Heidi Overton, a physician and White House aide, has been nominated by President Donald Trump to lead the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Key Takeaways:

• Dr. Heidi Overton graduated from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine in 2015, underwent surgical residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital, and received her PhD in clinical investigation from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in 2022.

• She was named a White House Fellow in 2019, and has served as an aide in both Trump administrations.

• Trump has nominated Overton to be Dr. Martin Makary's successor to lead the FDA.

• Filling in since Makary's departure as acting commissioner has been Kyle Diamantas, who had previously served as a Senior Counselor and Acting Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods at the FDA by Kennedy in February 2026.

The Backstory:

Overton is a physician and White House aide, who graduated from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine in 2015 with a medical degree. She followed that with surgical residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital, worked on a study on opioid guidelines with Martin Makary, and finally, received her PhD in clinical investigation from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in 2022.

As she was finishing her education in medicine, Overton was also working as a political aide. She was named a White House Fellow in 2019 in the Office of American Innovation and the Domestic Policy Council, helping to guide the federal government in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic during the first Trump administration.

Following that, she worked at the America First Policy Institute, guiding health care policy as the director of the Center for a Healthy America.

Following Trump's second election, she was named deputy assistant to the president for domestic policy in 2025.

Dr. Martin Makary served as FDA commissioner for less than a year before resigning in May. Trump reportedly considered several candidates as his replacement, ultimately choosing to nominate Overton.

Filling in since Makary's departure as acting commissioner has been Kyle Diamantas, who had previously served as a Senior Counselor and Acting Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods at the FDA since February 2026.

The Details:

Overton is reportedly pro-life, and has praised the Supreme Court's Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade. In a statement, she said:

Today the Supreme Court delivered a huge victory for life and recognized the tremendous advances in medicine over the past 50 years.

New technology such as the three-dimensional ultrasound and fetal echocardiograms allow doctors and parents to see a baby’s early development in incredible detail. Breakthrough treatments and advancements in neonatal intensive care have led to nearly 80% of the extremely preterm infants, born 22-28 weeks gestational age, to survive and leave the hospital with their parents.

While doctors can now save the lives of babies with minimally invasive surgeries to treat conditions as early as 16 weeks gestation, six states plus Washington, D.C., allow abortion all the way up until the time of birth.

The Supreme Court’s decision today will allow Americans to reevaluate the value of the potential of every baby in the womb and choose life through a democratic process. Human life is not disposable, but a precious gift from God with inherent worth and dignity.

She also previously criticized the Biden administration's contradictory policies on pregnancy and abortion, and warned about the risks of chemical abortions.

She now faces Senate confirmation hearings before her nomination can be confirmed.

The Bottom Line:

"Live Action is encouraged by President Trump’s nomination of Dr. Heidi Overton to lead the Food and Drug Administration," Mark Wiltz, director of government affairs for Live Action, said in a statement. He added:

"During Dr. Overton’s time at the America First Policy Institute, she helped lead important work exposing the dangers of chemical abortion and the serious risks posed by the abortion pill.

We pray that if Dr. Overton is confirmed that she brings that same courage and leadership to the FDA, which has an enormous responsibility to protect the health and safety of America’s women and children. If confirmed, Live Action looks forward to seeing the end to the harm brought by chemical abortion drugs across our country."