Trump FDA pick rejects Dem senator's 'Big Tobacco' accusation in fiery clash

Sen. Angela Alsobrooks pressed Heidi Overton over Trump's alleged tobacco investments and a timeline of meetings and FDA actions before the nominee pushed back: 'I reject the framing of that.'

Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, D-Md., pressed FDA commissioner nominee Dr. Heidi Overton over President Donald Trump's alleged financial ties to the tobacco industry during her Senate confirmation hearing, questioning whether those interests raised concerns about recent FDA actions involving flavored e-cigarettes. Overton rejected the senator's framing, saying Trump's interest is in securing "the best outcomes for the American people," and said career FDA officials determined that the authorized products met agency standards. Alsobrooks continued pressing Overton over the timing of a Trump meeting and subsequent FDA actions, arguing the sequence could "raise eyebrows."