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Reproductive Rights Profiles
Heidi Overton is a Fierce Opponent of Abortion Rights and Should Not Run the FDA
Trump’s nominee to lead the FDA would have the power to gut access to mifepristone nationwide.
Key Takeaways
- Heidi Overton is President Trump's nominee to lead the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). She is a “fierce opponent of abortion rights” and has spoken publicly about her anti-abortion views.
- The FDA Commissioner has enormous power over reproductive healthcare and regulating access to safe and effective medications, including contraception and medication abortion.
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- Heidi Overton has an extensive record of opposing reproductive freedom. She celebrated the overturning of Roe v. Wade as a “huge victory” and advocated for defunding Planned Parenthood. She has also falsely called abortion “corrosive” to women and supported junk science studies that spread disinformation about medication abortion.
- Her confirmation could accelerate a national anti-abortion agenda to roll back access to medication abortion. An FDA led by Overton could advance policies that restrict abortion access nationwide—without Congress ever passing a national abortion ban.
Tell the Senate to Vote NO on Heidi Overton for FDA Commissioner!
Take action with Reproductive Freedom for All and urge your senators to vote NO on Heidi Overton for FDA Commissioner.
A Closer Look: Heidi Overton is an Abortion Rights Opponent
The FDA plays a critical role in safeguarding the health of people across the country, including by making science-based decisions about medication abortion, birth control, and other essential reproductive healthcare.
Overton is a “fierce opponent of abortion rights.” Her record includes:
- Celebrating the overturning of Roe v. Wade as a “huge victory”
- Uplifting junk science studies to spread disinformation about medication abortion
- Advocating for defunding Planned Parenthood
- Falsely characterizing abortion as “corrosive” to women
She previously worked at America First Policy Institute, an extreme conservative think tank made up of many former Trump administration officials, where she authored a brief pushing disinformation about the safety of medication abortion and calling for additional, medically unnecessary restrictions on access to mifepristone.
The Stakes: Medication Abortion Access is at Risk Under Overton
If confirmed by the Senate as FDA Commissioner, Overton would lead the agency that controls access to medications used in reproductive healthcare—including birth control and mifepristone, the safe and effective pill used in the majority of abortions nationwide, and in miscarriage care.
The Big Picture: Reproductive Freedom is Under Coordinated Attack
This is all happening while anti-abortion extremists are calling on the FDA to rely on disinformation to effectively ban access to mifepristone nationwide.
The FDA is fast-tracking its politically motivated, sham “review” of mifepristone despite more than two decades of scientific evidence proving mifepristone’s safety and effectiveness.
This politically motivated FDA “review” is part of a coordinated attack on mifepristone, led by anti-abortion extremist groups along with their Republican allies in Congress, the Trump administration, and the courts.
If confirmed, Heidi Overton would join the ranks of anti-abortion officials in the Trump administration and mark another alarming step in their plan to weaponize every part of the federal government to restrict abortion nationwide.
Deep Dive: The Details of Heidi Overton’s Anti-Abortion Record
Celebrated the Supreme Court’s Dobbs Decision, Overturning the Federal Right to Abortion
As the Director for the Center of a Healthy America at the America First Policy Institute (AFPI), Overton celebrated the Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization in a press release.
While the overturning of Roe had devastating impacts and stripped away a fundamental right from people across the country, Overton characterized the decision as a “huge victory.”
Propagated Harmful Disinformation on Medication Abortion
While in her role as Chief Policy Officer at AFPI, Overton used her platform to spread harmful disinformation on medication abortion.
She called abortion “corrosive” and falsely alleged that medication abortion poses serious risks despite decades of research affirming that mifepristone is safe, effective and commonly used.
Advocated for Defunding Planned Parenthood
Overton advocated for defunding Planned Parenthood and diverting funds to “state level support programs” that include anti-abortion centers.
Disseminated Anti-Abortion Disinformation and Rhetoric
- When discussing the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA), Overton characterized the attempt to enshrine abortion rights in federal law as “extreme” and falsely alleged it would align the United States with “countries known for their atrocious human rights records and lack of respect for their citizens.”
- Overton has written at length about her opposition to abortion and consistently relies on inflammatory language and disinformation as the basis for her arguments, including outrageously characterizing abortion as “indistinguishable from infanticide.”
- Overton authored an opinion piece titled “A Harris Presidency Would Be a Disaster for Women and Girls” in which she villainized Vice President Kamala Harris for her views on abortion and weaponized inflammatory language and disinformation about abortions that occur later in pregnancy.
- Overton constantly repeats the baseless claim that most people are anti-abortion. In fact, a majority of Americans support access to abortion.
Supported Dismantling Science-Based Policy at Federal Health Agencies
In an AFPI podcast talk, Overton criticized the National Institutes of Health (NIH), FDA, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) because of their alleged failures to fund ideologically conservative “research.”
Overton advocated for the creation of publications and journals to advance conservative ideology, and for funding research projects aligned with their extremist views rather than science.
The politicization of government agencies could lead to the advancement of harmful anti-science narratives and agendas championed by anti-reproductive freedom entities.
Affiliation with Anti-Reproductive Freedom Organizations
- Overton’s nomination to lead the FDA was endorsed by Americans United for Life, a well-funded, anti-reproductive freedom organization whose mission is to erode reproductive freedom through the courts and legislatures.
- Overton attended the 2025 “March for Life” where she was thanked by the organization’s president for her “hard work” in advancing the “pro-life policy agenda.” March for Life is a prominent leader in the anti-abortion movement, founded in opposition to the 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade.
- Overton’s nomination was also endorsed by anti-abortion activist Lila Rose. Rose founded and is the current president of Live Action, an anti-abortion organization working to ban abortion nationally.
- Overton previously worked in various senior roles at the America First Policy Institute (AFPI). America First Policy Institute is a well-funded, conservative think tank that exerts influence through policy work on a variety of issues. America First Policy Institute serves as a pipeline for the Trump Administration’s cabinet nominations.
Overton’s Record Against LGBTQIA+ Equality
Overton is a staunch opponent of transgender rights. Overton has repeatedly expressed her opposition to gender-affirming care for transgender youth.
Further, in a co-authored piece, Overton attacked Minnesota Governor Tim Walz for his efforts to make gender-affirming care for minors and adults accessible in the state.
Career
- Bachelor of Arts, The University of New Mexico, 2011
- Doctor of Medicine, The University of New Mexico School of Medicine, 2015
- General Surgery Resident, Johns Hopkins Hospital, 2015-2019
- White House Fellow, Office of American Innovation and Domestic Policy Counsel, The
- White House, 2019-2021
- Doctor of Philosophy, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 2022
- America First Policy Institute, 2021-2025
- Director, Center for a Healthy America, 2021-2024
- Chief Policy Officer, 2023-2025
- Vice Chair, Center for a Healthy America, 2024-2025
- Deputy Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, The White House, 2025-present
Citations and Sources
- Heidi Overton, LINKEDIN, https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidi-overton-6a668797.
- See Press Release, WISPOLITICS, AFPI: ICYMI - SCOTUS ruling on Roe v. Wade (June 27, 2022), https://www.wispolitics.com/2022/afpi-icymi-scotus-ruling-on-roe-v-wade/.
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- Heidi Overton, ISSUE BRIEF - Risking Two lives - The Dangerous Rise of Chemical abortion, America First Policy Institute (Feb. 27, 2023), https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/issues/issue-brief-risking-two-livesthe-dangerous-rise-of-chemical-abortion.
- Brooke Rollins and Heidi Overton, The America First Approach Offers HOPE, Support for Women and Children, Townhall (Apr. 13, 2024), https://townhall.com/columnists/brookerollins/2024/04/13/the-america-first-approach-offers-hope-support-for-women-and-children-n2637726.
- Heidi Overton, Who Are the Real Abortion Radicals? A Comparative Perspective, America First Policy Institute (June 12, 2022), https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/issues/20220612-who-are-the-real-abortion-radicals-a-comparative-perspective.
- Heidi Overton, Op-ed: Radical Abortion Policies Do Not ‘Follow The Science,’ of the American Conscience, America First Policy Institute (June 15, 2022), https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/issues/op-ed-radical-abortion-policies-do-not-follow-the-science-or-the-american-conscience.
- Heidi Overton, A Harris Presidency Would be a Disaster for Women and Girls, Newsweek (Jul. 25, 2024), https://www.newsweek.com/harris-presidency-would-disaster-women-girls-opinion-1930172.
- Heidi Overton, Who Are the Real Abortion Radicals? A Comparative Perspective, America First Policy Institute (June 12, 2022), https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/issues/20220612-who-are-the-real-abortion-radicals-a-comparative-perspective.
- Public Opinion on Abortion, Pew Research Center (Mar. 12, 2026), https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/fact-sheet/public-opinion-on-abortion/.
- America First Policy Institute, Special Episode: Tank Talks! at 8:45 (YouTube, Dec. 6, 2023), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNAJjMu1bCY.
- Gavin Oxley, Americans United for Life Backs Dr. Heidi Overton to Lead the FDA, Americans United for Life (Aug. 19, 2026), https://aul.org/2026/08/19/aul-backs-dr-heidi-overton-to-lead-fda/.
- Susan Roberts, Surprised by all these abortion bans? Meet Americans United for Life – the most significant antiabortion group you’ve never heard of., The Washington Post (May 31, 2019), https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/05/31/surprised-by-all-these-abortion-bans-meet-americans-united-life-most-significant-pro-life-group-youve-never-heard/.
- 52nd Annual March for Life Rally in Washington, D.C. (Jan. 24, 2025), https://www.rev.com/transcript-editor/shared/ndwoeRXZp5M6K8GtSClWCU3JBYCbHdZ-YVgS1CD8jfSo49so75lNx5nac_GsSmlO7p3kIMjRDGyIJCc2dr1OmkW_kbg?loadFrom=PastedDeeplink&ts=8359.71.
- See Press Release, Reproductive Freedom For All, Reproductive Freedom For All Responds to President Trump and Republican Leadership Speaking at March for Life (Jan. 23, 2025), https://reproductivefreedomforall.org/news/reproductive-freedom-for-all-responds-to-president-trump-and-republican-leadership-speaking-at-march-for-life/.
- Lila Rose (@LilaGraceRose), X (Aug. 19, 2026 at 10:55 AM EST), https://x.com/LilaGraceRose/status/2090090160457416843.
- Our Mission, Live Action (last visited Aug. 31, 2026), https://www.liveaction.org/our-mission.
- Former AFPI: Heidi Overton, M.D., Ph.D., America First Policy Institute (last visited Aug. 20, 2026), https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/team/heidioverton.
- America First Nominations, America First Policy Institute (last visited Aug. 31, 2026), https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/initiative/america-first-nominations. 19 Heidi Overton, A Harris Presidency Would be a Disaster for Women and Girls, supra note 7; Heidi Overton and Alexandra Caro Campana, Gender Transition Medications and Surgeries for Children in the U.S., America First Policy Institute (Feb. 22, 2023), https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/issues/gender-transition-medications-and-surgeries-for-children-in-the-u.s. 20 Bobby Jindal and Heidi Overton, Tim Walz Made Minnesota A ‘Sanctuary’ For Baby Killers And Child Mutilators, The Federalist (Sept. 16, 2024), https://thefederalist.com/2024/09/16/tim-walz-made-minnesota-a-sanctuary-for-baby-killers-and-child-mutilators/.
Tell the Senate to Vote NO on Heidi Overton for FDA Commissioner!
Take action with Reproductive Freedom for All and urge your senators to vote NO on Heidi Overton for FDA Commissioner.
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