Trump picks White House adviser Heidi Overton to run FDA, source says
President Trump has nominated White House policy aide Dr. Heidi Overton to lead the FDA. If confirmed, she will face the challenge of rebuilding the agency's staff and public trust amid political controversy.
Why it matters
The FDA leadership is critical for public health regulation, and this appointment follows a period of significant staff turnover and policy friction.
U.S. President Donald Trump has chosen White House policy aide Heidi Overton to lead the Food and Drug Administration, a source familiar with the matter said on Tuesday (August 18, 2026), months after previous chief Marty Makary quit.
If approved by the Senate, Ms. Overton will take over an FDA that has lost more than 3,000 staff, including division heads, over the past year, and is under pressure to rebuild confidence among industry and public-health groups amid concerns the regulator has become too political.
The White House, the FDA and Ms. Overton did not immediately respond to Reuters ’ requests for comment.
Ms. Overton, a doctor by training, is currently deputy director of the White House domestic policy council and has previously worked at the America First Policy Institute, a conservative think tank.
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