In a 2023 interview, Trump’s FDA new pick laid out a vision for ‘conservative-based’ science

In a 2023 podcast interview, Trump's nominee for the Food and Drug Administration, Heidi Overton, shared her vision for a "conservative-based" approach to science. Overton, a medical doctor and current White House aide, proposed the creation of new academic journals dedicated to conservative policy goals, and advocated for alternative systems to fund research aligned with right-wing objectives.

Her comments came as part of a broader campaign to shift the direction of funding and research, making it more in line with conservative ideals. Overton argued that the current system, dominated by left-leaning perspectives, had excluded conservative ideas from mainstream scientific discourse. The America First Policy Institute, where Overton previously served as chief policy officer and director of the Center for a Healthy America, did not comment on her statements.

White House spokesperson Kush Desai defended Overton, claiming that scientific literature overwhelmingly supports certain gender-affirming care practices, suggesting a bias against conservative viewpoints in academic research. Despite the controversy, Overton was nominated by Trump to lead the FDA last week, and her appointment is seen as a key supporter of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s "Make America Healthy Again" initiative.