What will Sara Carter of Fox News bring as the US's new 'drug czar'?

On March 28, President Donald Trump announced Sara Carter as his pick for “drug czar.” Carter, who will need to be confirmed by the Senate, has a background as a journalist and Fox News contributor, with no direct drug policy or public health experience.

“From Afghanistan to our Border, Sara’s relentless pursuit of Justice, especially in tackling the Fentanyl and Opioid Crisis, has exposed terrorists, drug lords, and sex traffickers,” Trump said in a statement. “As our next Drug Czar, Sara will lead the charge to protect our Nation, and save our children from the scourge of drugs.”

Carter’s website describes her as a “national and international award-winning investigative reporter whose stories have ranged from national security, terrorism, immigration and front line coverage of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.” Besides her most recent role contributing to FOX News, she has written for outlets including the Washington Times, the Washington Examiner and USA Today. Her past reporting on the US-Mexico border has focused on undocumented immigration, secret tunnels and trafficking routes, and the involvement of Mexican officials in the drug trade.

“Drug czar” is the informal name for the director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). According to the White House, the office “leads and coordinates the nation’s drug policy so that it improves the health and lives of the American people,” managing the National Drug Control Strategy and budget. The ONDCP works with 19 federal agencies and a $44 billion budget, “as part of a whole-of-government approach to addressing addiction and the overdose epidemic.”

The office also distributes money and oversees the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program (HIDTA)—regional joint task forces involving federal, state and local police—and the Drug-Free Communities Program, which provides grants to prevent youth substance use.