President Donald Trump is personally interviewing potential candidates for the position of Commissioner of the U.S.
President Donald Trump is personally interviewing potential candidates for the position of Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week, Bloomberg reports, citing informed sources. The White House is seeking to fill a number of leadership roles at the agency.
According to the sources, two contenders meeting with Trump are White House policy adviser Heidi Overton and Dr. Jeff Vacirca, who heads a network of oncology clinics. Representative Buddy Carter, a Republican from Georgia, has also recently been named as a possible candidate, according to other sources familiar with the situation.
The FDA, which regulates products accounting for about one-fifth of U.S. consumer spending, has been experiencing a period of instability for several months. The commissioner’s post became vacant following the departure of Marty Makary in May—after a 13-month tenure marked by conflicts with staff and criticism from biotech companies.
Kyle Diamantas, a lawyer who previously served as the FDA’s top food official, is currently acting commissioner. A wave of senior executives left the agency shortly after Makary’s departure.
White House spokesperson Kush Desai stated that any discussions regarding potential candidates should be considered speculation until officially announced by President Trump himself.