By Bobby Jindal & Newt Gingrich

President Donald Trump has made the Food and Drug Administration a centerpiece of his agenda.

The agency is at the heart of key policy initiatives: lower costs for Americans, bring back American manufacturing, and make America healthy again.

That is why it’s been great to see President Trump choose such a qualified, well-suited candidate as Dr. Heidi Overton to lead the agency.

We’ve gotten to know Dr. Overton professionally and personally for several years now and can attest that she’s the right leader at the right time for the FDA.

Dr. Overton has been at the White House helping lead the president’s health initiatives from her perch as a deputy on the Domestic Policy Council. She has been involved in countless key decisions and understands how to navigate the often convoluted ways of the federal government.

Her nomination comes at a key time for the FDA as it undertakes key initiatives. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently laid out the high stakes facing our policymakers. The U.S. is losing ground in its role as a leader in clinical research and medical innovation. A recent study found that China now conducts more early-stage clinical trials than the United States. In 2025, Chinese companies accounted for nearly half of global pharmaceutical licensing deal activity. Those trends should concern every American.

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