In the course of speculations about a candidature for the Federal Council, Amherd announced her candidacy for the replacement of Doris Leuthard on 5 October 2018.

On 16 November 2018, Amherd and Heidi Z'graggen, a local executive in the canton of Uri, were nominated as Federal Council candidates by the CVP/PDC.

[3] On 10 December 2018, it was announced that Amherd would head the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS) from 1 January 2019.

[1] Following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, in April 2022 Amherd wrote to International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, urging the IOC to suspend officials from Russia and Belarus, much as the IOC recommended a ban of athletes and officials from both countries from competitions.

Since 1991, she has worked as a self-employed lawyer and notary with an office in Brig-Glis and from 1994 to 2006 as a part-time judge of the Federal Personnel Appeals Commission.