Dr. Heidi Overton, nominated by President Trump to lead the FDA, underwent a challenging confirmation hearing where she was pressed by Senators on a variety of contentious issues, including the safety of vaccines and her stance on abortion pills. Overton affirmed the safety of the MMR vaccine and mifepristone, despite previous claims made by Trump that contradicted her statements. Throughout the hearing, she sidestepped numerous questions about vaccine efficacy and did not provide clear answers regarding her potential responses to Trump’s directives. Senators, concerned about her qualifications and independence, grilled Overton on her views related to reproductive health and the need for food safety oversight, highlighting the high stakes of her confirmation process.