Fox News anchor John Roberts has revealed he’s been hospitalized after contracting what he described as a “severe case of malaria,” sidelining him from his weekday slot on America Reports.
“I somehow came down with a severe case of malaria,” Roberts, 68, announced via X on Tuesday. “I can honestly say that I am the only person in the hospital with malaria. In fact, one of my doctors said I’m the first case he has ever seen.”
Thank you to Trace for jumping into the chair today! I somehow came down with a severe case of Malaria. I can honestly say that I am the only person in the hospital with Malaria. In fact, one of my doctors said I’m the first case he has ever seen. Thanks to the folks at… https://t.co/6ZHiB5Dv8v
Malaria was eliminated from the U.S. in 1951, according to the CDC. However, the country still sees about 2,000 malaria cases per year. There were, on average, nearly seven deaths per year between 2007 and 2022.
Malaria cases in the U.S. are now mostly linked to international travel.
Malaria is spread by mosquitoes. Cases in the U.S. were typically in people who traveled to or from countries where the disease is widespread. The CDC said locally acquired, mosquito-transmitted malaria is “rare” in the country.
Malaria patients often reported having recently returned from Africa, the CDC said. Patients commonly reported visiting friends and family as their primary reason for travel.
The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Former Trump family member Vanessa Trump revealed Wednesday that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer, prompting an outpouring of support from relatives, friends, and supporters connected to President Donald Trump’s extended family circle.
The 48-year-old former model and television personality shared the news in an emotional Instagram statement, describing the diagnosis as an unexpected challenge while emphasizing that she remains optimistic.
“I’ve recently been diagnosed with breast cancer,” Vanessa wrote. “While this isn’t news anyone expects, I’m working closely with my medical team on a treatment plan.”
Vanessa also revealed that doctors performed a procedure earlier this week, though she did not provide additional details regarding the nature of the procedure or the stage of her diagnosis. She said she is relying heavily on her family and close loved ones as she begins treatment.
“I am staying focused and hopeful while surrounded by the love and support of my family, my kids, and those closest to me,” she wrote.
Vanessa concluded the statement by thanking supporters for their encouragement and asking for privacy while she focuses on recovery.
The announcement quickly drew public reactions from members of the Trump family.
President Trump’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, posted a heartfelt response beneath Vanessa’s announcement.
“Praying for your continued strength and a swift recovery. Love you mama,” Ivanka wrote.
Vanessa’s daughter, Kai Trump, also shared an emotional message, calling her mother “the strongest person I know” in a social media tribute that resonated with supporters.
Additional support reportedly came through social media engagement from other members of the Trump family as Vanessa’s announcement spread online.
Vanessa was married to Donald Trump Jr. for more than a decade before the pair divorced in 2018. The former couple share five children together and have largely maintained a cooperative relationship centered around family matters.
In recent years, Vanessa has kept a lower public profile compared to many members of the Trump family. However, she returned to headlines after legendary golfer Tiger Woods publicly confirmed their relationship in 2025. The two have since been seen together at family events and golf-related appearances.
Her diagnosis sparked an immediate wave of support online, with many supporters offering prayers and well wishes as she begins what could be a difficult health battle.
Vanessa Trump is moving forward with optimism as she continues her battle with breast cancer.
The former wife of Donald Trump Jr. shared a heartfelt update with supporters Saturday, revealing that she has spent the past several weeks recovering from surgery and is preparing to begin the next phase of her treatment.
“I wanted to share an update on my cancer journey,” Trump wrote in an Instagram post. “Over the past four weeks, I’ve been recovering from surgery and I’m grateful to be healing and moving forward. Soon, I’ll be starting the second stage of my treatment. Sending love, strength, and hope to everyone fighting this battle.”
Vanessa first revealed her diagnosis publicly on May 20, telling followers that she was focused on her health and recovery while surrounded by loved ones. At the time, she briefly referenced an upcoming medical procedure but chose not to disclose many details about her treatment plan.
In Saturday’s update, Trump did not elaborate on the surgery or the next stage of treatment. Instead, she emphasized gratitude and the support system helping her through the difficult journey.
“I am staying focused and hopeful while surrounded by the love and support of my family, my kids, and those closest to me,” she previously wrote, adding, “I kindly ask for privacy as I focus on my health and recovery.”
The update prompted an outpouring of support from friends, family members, and followers. Ivanka Trump publicly shared her encouragement, writing, “Praying for your continued strength and a swift recovery. Love you mama.”
Vanessa and Donald Trump Jr. were married for more than a decade and share five children together: Kai, Donald III, Tristan, Spencer, and Chloe. Though the couple divorced in 2018, they have remained committed co-parents, frequently appearing together at family milestones and supporting their children’s activities.
The latest health update comes during a busy season for the extended Trump family. Just weeks ago, Donald Trump Jr. married Bettina Anderson during a ceremony in the Bahamas over Memorial Day weekend, bringing together family and friends for the celebration.
Meanwhile, Vanessa’s relationship with golf icon Tiger Woods has also drawn public attention in recent months. The pair have largely kept their romance private, though reports have suggested Woods has remained supportive as Vanessa navigates treatment and recovery.
For now, Vanessa appears focused on her health, her family, and the road ahead — while continuing to receive support from those closest to her as she begins the next chapter of treatment.
President Donald Trump said Monday that White House physicians helped treat Rep. Neal Dunn, a Florida Republican, after the congressman received what Trump described as a “terminal” medical diagnosis — an episode Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson framed as a dramatic intervention that helped save Dunn’s life.
The president and Johnson recounted the story during remarks at the White House, saying Dunn had continued working in Congress despite what they characterized as a dire prognosis.
“He would be dead by June,” Trump told reporters, describing the severity of the diagnosis Dunn had reportedly received before receiving treatment.
Johnson said the situation came to Trump’s attention after he informed the president about Dunn’s condition. According to Johnson, Trump quickly suggested involving White House medical staff to evaluate the congressman.
“The man has a new lease on life. He acts like he’s 30 years younger,” Johnson said, describing Dunn’s recovery after treatment.
Johnson explained that White House physicians helped coordinate care for the Florida lawmaker and arranged for him to receive treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, the premier military hospital that frequently treats senior government officials and members of Congress.
According to Johnson, Dunn underwent emergency surgery shortly after the White House doctors became involved.
Trump praised the speed and professionalism of the medical team, calling the White House physicians “miracle workers.”
“I said, I have to call them. And I called the two doctors. They’re both great. And they immediately went over to see the congressman, and he was on the operating table like two hours later,” Trump added.
Dunn, who represents Florida’s 2nd Congressional District in the state’s Panhandle, is himself a physician. Before entering politics, he served as an Army surgeon and later worked in private medical practice. His medical background has often shaped his work in Congress, particularly on issues involving healthcare policy and veterans’ services.
First elected in 2016, Dunn has served five terms in the House of Representatives and has been a reliable conservative vote on fiscal issues, national defense, and social policy.
In January, Dunn announced that he would not seek reelection in 2026, signaling the end of his congressional career. At the time, he framed the decision as an opportunity to step away from Washington and spend more time with his family.
“I want to pass the torch to new conservative leaders, return home to Panama City, and spend more precious time with my family and our beloved grandchildren,” Dunn said in a statement announcing his retirement.
He also reflected on his legislative priorities during his time in Congress.
“It has been my greatest honor to fight for lower taxes, our military and veterans, the unborn, healthcare innovation, and policies that empower Americans over bureaucracy and addressing threats from Communist China, Russia and others,” he added.
Dunn’s departure comes during a cycle that is already seeing a significant number of lawmakers opt not to run again. As of mid-March, 60 House members have announced they will not seek reelection in the 2026 election cycle, according to the U.S. House of Representatives Press Gallery’s “Casualty List.”
That total includes 23 Democrats and 37 Republicans.
Several of those lawmakers are leaving to pursue other offices, including gubernatorial and U.S. Senate bids. Others are retiring outright after years in public service.
Among Republicans, some departures have come through electoral defeat. Rep. Dan Crenshaw of Texas, for example, recently lost his primary race to state Rep. Steve Toth.
While Dunn’s decision to retire was announced before the details of his health episode were publicly discussed, the account shared by Trump and Johnson Monday offered new insight into the medical crisis he faced earlier this year — and the role White House doctors played in coordinating the emergency treatment that both men say dramatically improved his outlook.
By Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America - Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., CC BY-SA 2.0,
For decades, Americans were told a story about their health that no longer matched reality. We were assured that food was safe, that regulators were vigilant, that medical advice was insulated from politics and profit, and that rising chronic disease was an unfortunate but unavoidable byproduct of modern life. Meanwhile, the health of the nation deteriorated in plain sight. Obesity climbed year after year. Childhood chronic disease became common rather than exceptional. Autism rates surged. Cancer diagnoses among children rose. By the time President Trump returned to office, 76.4% of Americans were living with at least one chronic disease. Eight out of 10 children could not qualify for military service. What should have been treated as a civilizational emergency was instead normalized, until that long-running failure of honesty and accountability culminated during the COVID-19 pandemic, when public health leaders abandoned transparency, misled the public, and, under Dr. Fauci’s direction, shattered trust in medical professionals and the institutions meant to serve them.
The collapse of trust that followed COVID did not occur in a vacuum. It was the culmination of years of regulatory capture, scientific arrogance, and a public health establishment that confused authority with truth. Americans were ordered, not persuaded. Dissent was pathologized. Data was selectively presented. Vaccine policy was enforced through mandate rather than transparency. Dr. Fauci became the symbol of an anti-science regime that claimed infallibility while revising its claims in real time. When institutions insist on obedience while refusing accountability, trust does not merely erode; it implodes.
MEASLES: Despite years of unprecedented legal and illegal migration, the US has measles under control compared to peer nations. Canada now has nearly 20X the US case rate, while the UK has roughly triple. Vaccine hesitancy driven by exposed Covid falsehoods is hitting countries… pic.twitter.com/dRfMJrf3J9
It is against this backdrop that the Make America Healthy Again initiative must be understood. MAHA is not a branding exercise or a partisan slogan. It is a course correction. President Trump’s decision to place Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at the helm of HHS was not an appeal to nostalgia or name recognition. It was an explicit rejection of the managerial consensus that presided over the chronic disease explosion. The mandate was simple and radical: identify root causes, dismantle regulatory capture, and tell the truth even when it disrupts powerful interests.
Skeptics ask whether one year can matter. The answer depends on what one expects a first year to do. MAHA was never going to reverse decades of metabolic, environmental, and institutional decay overnight. Its purpose was to reorient the system, establish credibility, and force long-delayed questions back into the open. By that standard, the first year has been historic.
Start with the scope of institutional change. President Trump signed an executive order establishing the MAHA Commission, chaired by Secretary Kennedy, with a singular focus on chronic disease. For the first time in generations, chronic illness was treated not as an actuarial inevitability but as a policy failure demanding investigation. This alone marked a break with orthodoxy. Under previous administrations, chronic disease spending rose to $1.3T annually while prevention remained an afterthought. When Kennedy notes that the federal government once spent essentially nothing on chronic disease, he is not making a rhetorical point. He is diagnosing a structural blind spot.
The results are already visible. Thirty-seven states have enacted legislation advancing MAHA-aligned reforms. Nearly 100 MAHA-related bills have passed nationwide. Eighteen states secured SNAP waivers to restrict taxpayer-funded junk food purchases that directly fuel obesity and diabetes. These are not symbolic victories. They are structural incentives aligned with public health rather than industry convenience.
Food policy has been the most visible arena of reform, and for good reason. The American diet did not become toxic by accident. It was engineered through regulatory loopholes that allowed synthetic additives to enter the food supply under the GRAS standard with minimal oversight. MAHA moved quickly to overhaul this system. Agreements now cover roughly 40% of the food industry, committing to remove petroleum-based synthetic dyes. The dairy industry has pledged to eliminate artificial dyes from ice cream by 2028. These changes matter because they reset norms. Once voluntary reform becomes expected, resistance collapses.
The same logic applies to infant health. Operation Stork Speed was launched to expand access to safe and nutritious infant formula while removing heavy metals that had no business entering baby food in the first place. For parents who watched institutions minimize legitimate safety concerns during COVID, this shift toward precaution and transparency has been decisive in rebuilding trust.
Critics often ask whether MAHA is anti-science. The premise is backward. MAHA is anti-dogma. It insists that science earns authority through openness, replication, and humility. This is why vaccine policy has been reframed around informed consent and gold standard trials rather than mandates. Honesty about uncertainty is not weakness. It is the precondition of credibility. Public trust returns when institutions stop pretending to be omniscient.
This emphasis on trust extends beyond food and vaccines. HHS issued guidance restoring biological truth, recognizing that there are two sexes, male and female. This was not culture war theater. Medicine depends on biological reality. When institutions deny observable facts for ideological reasons, patients notice. Restoring clarity restores confidence.
MAHA’s critics also underestimate the importance of state-level experimentation. Utah’s decision to ban added fluoride in public drinking water did not impose a national mandate. It reopened a conversation that had been closed by bureaucratic inertia. Communities are once again allowed to weigh risks and benefits rather than defer to outdated consensus.
Health care delivery itself has not been ignored. Prior authorization has long functioned as a hidden tax on patients and physicians, delaying care while enriching intermediaries. Secretary Kennedy and CMS Administrator Oz secured industry commitments to streamline this process across health plans. Less paperwork means faster treatment and lower burnout. These are the reforms patients feel immediately.
Drug pricing has followed the same philosophy. President Trump’s most favored nation order is being rapidly implemented to align U.S. prescription drug prices with those paid abroad. This is not price control masquerading as populism. It is a refusal to subsidize global markets at the expense of American patients. Lower prices are a public health intervention.
Physical health has returned to the cultural mainstream as well. The Pete and Bobby Challenge, launched by Secretary Kennedy alongside Defense Secretary Hegseth, did something that countless white papers failed to do. It made fitness visible again. A nation where most children cannot meet basic physical standards is not merely unhealthy. It is vulnerable.
The MAHA Commission’s release of the Make Our Children Healthy Again strategy, outlining more than 120 initiatives, signaled that childhood chronic disease is no longer being treated as a mystery or a taboo. New data linking rising thyroid and kidney cancers among children demands answers. Autism rates demand answers. MAHA has made clear that asking these questions is not forbidden. It is required.
Perhaps the most underestimated achievement of the first year is cultural rather than regulatory. Trust is returning because institutions are speaking plainly. The public understands that special interests once thrived behind closed doors. They know they were sold better cigarettes and sugar smacks with a health halo. What they demanded in 2024 was not perfection. It was honesty.
President Trump and Secretary Kennedy have delivered the first credible attempt in decades to dismantle the alliance between bureaucratic power and corporate profit that hollowed out public health. The appointments at NIH, FDA, and CMS reflect this shift. These are not partisan enforcers. They are reformers tasked with ending capture and restoring the mission.
No serious observer should claim that the work is finished. Chronic disease did not emerge in one year, and it will not be eliminated in one term. But trajectories matter. Incentives matter. Trust matters most of all. After years in which Americans were told to comply and not question, MAHA has reopened the social contract between the public and medicine.
Public health cannot function without consent. Consent requires trust. Trust requires truth. That is the chain MAHA is rebuilding. It is why the first year matters. Not because every problem has been solved, but because the system has finally been pointed in the right direction.
Sponsored by the John Milton Freedom Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to helping independent journalists overcome formidable challenges in today’s media landscape and bring crucial stories to you.
President Donald Trump participates in a welcome ceremony with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Al Saud at the Royal Court Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)
President Donald Trump will have his annual medical checkup at a hospital near Washington on May 26, the White House said Monday night.
The oldest person ever inaugurated as President, Trump, turns 80 in June. Trump traveled to China for a summit with that country’s leader, Xi Jinping this week.
Read the full statement from the White House:
President Donald J. Trump will visit Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on May 26 for his annual dental and medical evaluations, and to visit with the men and women of the military. This will include the President’s routine annual dental and medical assessments as part of his regular preventive health care. The President will also spend time with service members and staff at Walter Reed in recognition of their service, professionalism, and dedication to the nation. Additional details regarding the President’s schedule will be released at a later date.
In March, the White House doctor said the president was taking a prescription “preventative skin treatment” to treat irritation on his neck.
Last July, the White House said Trump had been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a common condition tied to swelling in the legs, but that doctors had otherwise found the president to be in “excellent health.”
The former New York City mayor is now breathing on his own after doctors removed him from a ventilator, marking a dramatic turnaround from what had been a life-threatening condition just hours earlier.
Dr. Maria Ryan told Fox News that Giuliani’s condition had deteriorated rapidly after he returned from a trip to Paris, with severe breathing issues forcing doctors to place him on a ventilator. At one point, his situation became so dire that a priest was called to administer last rites.
But by Tuesday, everything changed.
“He’s a fighter — the way he was yesterday in such a critical condition, he did have a priest come anoint him,” Ryan said. “And all the prayers from around — it’s like a miracle. This guy’s got 9 lives, today he’s doing much better.”
Giuliani, 81, is now off the ventilator, breathing independently, and able to speak, though he remains in critical but stable condition. Ryan said she expects him to make a full recovery.
A spokesperson for Giuliani pointed to the long-term health toll of his time at Ground Zero following the September 11 attacks, where exposure to toxic debris led to a diagnosis of restrictive airway disease — a condition that can make respiratory illnesses far more dangerous.
In a video update, spokesman Ted Goodman confirmed the improvement.
“Mayor Rudy Giuliani is the ultimate fighter,” Goodman said, adding that he is now “breathing on his own” while continuing to recover.
The scare comes after a series of health challenges in recent years, including a serious car crash in New Hampshire in 2025 that left Giuliani with a fractured vertebra and multiple injuries.
Yet once again, he’s defying the odds.
Doctors say the latest improvement could mark a turning point, though he remains under close monitoring in the days ahead.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday cleared the way for the Trump administration to move forward with nearly $800 million in cuts to National Institutes of Health grants.
The decision allows the administration to withhold funds that had been frozen by a lower court — grants largely tied to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, as well as studies focused on minority health, LGBTQ+ issues, vaccine hesitancy, COVID-19, and similar public health topics.
A federal trial court in Massachusetts had previously ruled in June that many of the cuts were “arbitrary and discriminatory,” ordering the temporary restoration of those grants.
But the Supreme Court, acting through its emergency — or so-called “shadow” — docket, overrode that ruling in a narrow 5–4 decision.
Chief Justice John Roberts sided with the liberal bloc in dissent. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson issued a sharply worded dissent of her own, criticizing the court’s reliance on the emergency process and the brevity of the majority’s explanation.
As SCOTUSBlogreports, the court — also by a 5–4 margin — left in place another part of the lower court’s ruling affecting internal NIH guidance documents outlining the agency’s policy priorities:
Justice Amy Coney Barrett provided the key vote on each issue. She joined Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh in voting to allow NIH to terminate the grants, but she joined Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson in voting to leave the lower court’s ruling on the guidance documents in place.
Jackson had sharp words for her colleagues, describing the ruling as “Calvinball jurisprudence” – a reference to the Calvin and Hobbes cartoon – “with a twist. Calvinball has only one rule: There are no fixed rules. We seem to have two: that one, and this Administration always wins.”
Two separate groups of plaintiffs went to federal court in Massachusetts to challenge the termination of the grants. One group is made up of 16 states whose public universities receive funding from NIH, while the other consists of the American Public Health Association, individual researchers, a union, and a reproductive health advocacy group. They contended that the termination of the grants violated both the Constitution and the Administrative Procedure Act, the federal law governing administrative agencies.
The administration argues the research in question lacks scientific rigor and was driven more by ideology than merit. Officials also say the cuts are consistent with their broader push to eliminate DEI-related spending across federal agencies.
Democrat-led states and advocacy groups claim the funding loss could have “incalculable” consequences for underserved communities.
This case fits a broader pattern: The court has recently upheld rollbacks on DEI-based spending in areas like teacher training. Critics say the use of the emergency docket limits public transparency and bypasses full hearings. Supporters say it’s a legitimate tool to keep activist courts in check.
Legal challenges are still moving through the lower courts.
In the meantime, universities, NIH personnel, and left-leaning advocacy groups are mobilizing in protest, warning of long-term damage to public health research and institutional equity efforts.
Photos from the opening of the new Delta Air Lines terminal in LaGuardia Airport in Queens, NY, on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2019. (Chris Rank for Rank Studios) (Photos from the opening of the new Delta Air Lines terminal in LaGuardia Airport in Queens, NY, o
The U.S. Department of Justice has opened a criminal investigation into former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo for allegedly lying to Congress about his decisions made during the COVID-19 pandemic while serving as governor, a source familiar with the probe confirmed to Fox News.
The New York Times first reported that the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington opened the inquiry into Cuomo about a month ago after senior officials in the DOJ demanded an indictment of New York City Mayor Eric Adams for corruption charges be dismissed.
Cuomo is running in the Democratic primary to serve as the next mayor of New York City, while Adams is seeking re-election as an independent candidate.
“We have never been informed of any such matter, so why would someone leak it now? The answer is obvious: This is lawfare and election interference plain and simple—something President Trump and his top Department of Justice officials say they are against,” Rich Azzopardi, Cuomo’s spokesperson told Fox News. “Governor Cuomo testified truthfully to the best of his recollection about events from four years earlier, and he offered to address any follow-up questions from the Subcommittee — but from the beginning this was all transparently political.”
Last year, Republican lawmakers questioned Cuomo about his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. House Republicans subsequently recommended the Justice Department pursue criminal charges against him. They accused him of intentionally lying to Congress during the House Oversight Committee’s investigation into the excessive number of nursing home deaths.
House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) referred Cuomo to President Donald Trump’s Justice Department for criminal prosecution.
Cuomo, who was governor at the time, issued a March 2020 directive that initially barred nursing homes from refusing to accept patients who had tested positive for COVID-19. The directive was aimed at freeing up beds for overwhelmed hospitals.
More than 9,000 recovering coronavirus patients were released from hospitals into nursing homes under the directive, which was later rescinded amid speculation that it had accelerated outbreaks. Cuomo has previously said that the directive was based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) guidance at the time.
A report released in March 2022 by the New York state comptroller found Cuomo’s Health Department “was not transparent in its reporting of COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes” and it “understated the number of deaths at nursing homes by as much as 50%” during some points of the pandemic.
In a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi last month, Comer said, “to our knowledge, the Biden Administration ignored this referral despite clear facts and evidence.” He requested that Bondi review the referral and “take appropriate action.”
“Andrew Cuomo is a man with a history of corruption and deceit, now caught red-handed lying to Congress during the Select Subcommittee’s investigation into the COVID-19 nursing home tragedy in New York,” Comer said in a statement Monday. “This wasn’t a slip-up – it was a calculated cover-up by a man seeking to shield himself from responsibility for the devastating loss of life in New York’s nursing homes. Let’s be clear: lying to Congress is a federal crime. Mr. Cuomo must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The House Oversight Committee is prepared to fully cooperate with the Justice Department’s investigation into Andrew Cuomo’s actions and ensure he’s held to account.”
🚨 #BREAKING: DOJ has launched a criminal probe into Andrew Cuomo over his testimony on his COVID response
Cuomo perjured himself MULTIPLE TIMES, and HID RECORDS from the committee
He’s also responsible for the deaths of THOUSANDS of nursing home patients
The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
President Donald Trump has selected Dr. Heidi Overton, a senior White House domestic policy adviser and physician, to lead the Food and Drug Administration as the agency confronts battles over vaccines, drug prices, food additives, and abortion medication.
Trump announced the nomination Wednesday, describing Overton as a trusted problem-solver who would accelerate medical innovation, lower prescription costs, and advance Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” agenda.
Overton currently serves as deputy director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, where she has helped formulate and promote several of the administration’s most consequential health initiatives.
BREAKING: President Trump picks Dr. Heidi Overton, a top White House aide, to lead the Food and Drug Administration. https://t.co/fGVJ7TNQjt
If confirmed by the Senate, she would succeed Dr. Marty Makary, who left the agency in May after a turbulent tenure marked by internal disputes and disagreements over the direction of federal health policy.
Kyle Diamantas, who previously led the FDA’s Human Foods Program, is serving as acting commissioner.
A Physician With Deep White House Ties
Overton is a board-certified physician in public health and general preventive medicine. She earned her medical degree from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine and a doctorate in clinical investigation from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
She previously trained as a general surgery resident at Johns Hopkins and advocated for greater price and quality transparency in health care.
During medical school, then-New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez appointed Overton to the University of New Mexico Board of Regents, where she held voting and fiduciary responsibility for the university and its health system.
Overton first entered the Trump White House as a fellow in 2019, working in the Office of American Innovation and on the Domestic Policy Council. Between Trump’s terms, she served as chief policy officer at the America First Policy Institute and helped lead its Center for a Healthy America.
Her biography from the conservative organization emphasizes her work on health-care transparency, fentanyl, public health and policies designed to give patients greater control over medical decisions.
The appointment would place a committed administration loyalist at the head of an agency that regulates products representing roughly one-fifth of American consumer spending.
Overton Helped Shape Trump’s Health Agenda
Overton has appeared alongside Trump during major health policy announcements, including the administration’s efforts to negotiate “most favored nation” agreements with drug companies. The policy seeks to tie American prescription prices to the lower prices paid in other developed countries.
She was also involved in Trump’s controversial effort to revise the childhood vaccination schedule and separate the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine into three individual shots.
Major medical organizations have generally supported the combined MMR vaccine, which has been used for decades and reduces the number of clinical visits and injections required for full immunization. Critics fear that splitting the vaccine could create delays and lower vaccination rates.
Overton’s role in the policy is likely to become a focus of her Senate confirmation hearing, particularly as lawmakers question how she would handle pressure from Kennedy and other administration figures skeptical of established federal vaccine recommendations.
Trump praised Overton as a “rockstar” who would advance medical cures, innovation and lower drug prices.
Kennedy also supports the nomination, giving Overton an important ally inside the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the FDA.
Difficult Issues Await New Commissioner
The next FDA commissioner will inherit an unusually difficult collection of unfinished projects.
The agency continues to face pressure over its regulation of COVID-19 vaccines and other immunizations, including questions about which populations should receive updated shots and what evidence manufacturers must provide.
Medication abortion will present another immediate test. Pro-life organizations want the FDA to impose tighter restrictions on mifepristone, including limits on prescriptions issued through telehealth and pills delivered through the mail.
Overton has previously used the term “teleabortion” when discussing remote access to abortion medication, drawing concern from abortion-rights organizations that expect her to revisit the drug’s rules.
The FDA must also determine how aggressively it will regulate ultraprocessed foods, chemical additives, and synthetic dyes. Those issues are central to Kennedy’s MAHA movement but can conflict with the deregulatory approach traditionally favored by Republican lawmakers and industry groups.
Other pending questions involve flavored electronic cigarettes, peptide treatments, psychedelics, antidepressant warnings, and efforts to shorten the approval process for new drugs.
Overton would therefore have to balance three competing forces: Trump’s desire for faster approvals and lower prices, Kennedy’s campaign against corporate influence in food and medicine, and Republican demands for reduced federal regulation.
Management Experience Likely to Draw Scrutiny
Overton’s supporters point to her medical education, policy background, and proximity to presidential decision-making. They argue that she understands Trump’s priorities and can coordinate more effectively with the White House than an outside nominee.
Critics are expected to focus on her limited experience running an organization comparable to the FDA.
The agency employs thousands of scientists, physicians, inspectors, lawyers, and regulatory specialists. It oversees prescription drugs, medical devices, vaccines, tobacco products, much of the nation’s food supply, and other consumer goods.
Axios reported before her selection that some health policy observers worried Overton’s nomination could unsettle FDA career employees and pharmaceutical investors, while other potential candidates possessed more direct executive management experience.
The criticism will likely feature prominently when she appears before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.
Makary, Overton’s predecessor and a former Johns Hopkins colleague, was confirmed in March 2025 by a 56-44 Senate vote. Overton will seek confirmation from a chamber still controlled by Republicans but divided over the administration’s vaccine policies.
Her nomination signals that Trump wants the FDA led by someone already embedded in his White House rather than an agency insider or pharmaceutical executive.
If the Senate agrees, Overton will take control of one of the federal government’s most powerful scientific agencies — and become responsible for turning the administration’s sprawling health agenda into enforceable policy.
