Trump Picks Casey Means for Surgeon General Nominee \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ President Donald Trump has nominated wellness influencer Dr. Casey Means as his new choice for U.S. Surgeon General, replacing Janette Nesheiwat. Means, aligned with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s health agenda, promotes natural medicine and anti-processed food messaging. Her nomination marks a shift toward the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) initiative.
Quick Looks
- Dr. Casey Means nominated by Trump as new Surgeon General candidate.
- Means is a wellness influencer and tech founder, not a government insider.
- Former nominee Janette Nesheiwat withdrawn ahead of Senate confirmation hearing.
- Means promotes MAHA agenda, linked to RFK Jr. and holistic health reform.
- Nominee opposes processed food, pharmaceuticals, and medical establishment norms.
- Founded Levels, a company that tracks personal health data like blood sugar.
- Minimal government experience, but a large online presence and health advocacy platform.
- Trump praised her “impeccable MAHA credentials” and “life’s work.”
- Critics raise concerns over Means’ views on food, medicine, and vaccines.
- If confirmed, Means would lead 6,000-member Public Health Service Corps.
Deep Look
President Donald Trump has nominated Dr. Casey Means as his new pick for U.S. Surgeon General, replacing his initial nominee, Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, in a significant reshuffle of his public health agenda. The move signals Trump’s deepening commitment to the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) movement, heavily influenced by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his wellness-focused allies.
In a post on social media Wednesday, Trump praised Means’ “impeccable MAHA credentials” and called her “one of the most outstanding potential Surgeon Generals in U.S. history.” He credited her for a life dedicated to wellness, prevention, and innovation in how Americans approach health.
From Surgery to Supplements
Dr. Casey Means does not come from the typical mold of a government health official. A former surgical resident at Stanford University, she left clinical medicine citing frustration with the traditional system. She later co-founded Levels, a health tech platform designed to help users monitor their glucose and metabolic markers.
Now, she is better known for her social media presence and her advocacy of natural health remedies, dietary supplements, and clean eating. Her brand encompasses wellness products, including creams, teas, and supplements, and she regularly promotes anti-inflammatory diets, glucose monitoring, and movement-based lifestyles as alternatives to prescription medications.
She has also served, along with her brother Calley Means, as a key behind-the-scenes adviser to RFK Jr.’s campaign and later helped broker Kennedy’s endorsement of Trump. Calley, now a White House adviser, promotes MAHA-aligned proposals such as removing fluoride from drinking water and reforming food subsidy programs like SNAP.
Health Credentials and Controversies
While Means lacks government experience, she is at the forefront of a new wave of health influencers with medical credentials who appeal to audiences dissatisfied with mainstream healthcare. In interviews and a 2024 co-authored book, she blames ultra-processed foods, pharmaceutical lobbying, and sedentary lifestyles for chronic illness in the U.S., linking poor health not only to obesity and diabetes but also infertility, Alzheimer’s, depression, and erectile dysfunction.
Critics, including public health experts, say her positions oversimplify complex nutrition science. “Ultra-processed foods are a broad category,” said Gabby Headrick, a nutrition researcher at George Washington University, warning against sweeping generalizations that could mislead consumers.
Means has mostly avoided Kennedy’s highly criticized anti-vaccine rhetoric, but her website does call for greater legal liability for vaccine manufacturers and more scrutiny of vaccine safety—positions that echo Kennedy’s stance, although couched in more cautious language.
Nesheiwat Withdrawn Amid Political Pushback
Means’ nomination came hours after Trump withdrew Janette Nesheiwat, a Fox News contributor and urgent care medical director, who had been scheduled for a Senate confirmation hearing. Though Nesheiwat had appeared regularly in conservative media and was a visible Trump supporter, she drew criticism from far-right figures like Laura Loomer, who labeled her a “pro-vaccine nepo appointee” and highlighted a pending malpractice case and questions about her medical degree.
It’s the second time in recent weeks Trump has reversed a health-related nomination; in March, he withdrew former Rep. Dave Weldon as a potential CDC director after vaccine skepticism raised concerns with Senate Republicans.
In a statement following her withdrawal, Nesheiwat said she would continue working with the Trump campaign in a senior policy capacity focused on public health. “That mission hasn’t changed,” she wrote.
The Surgeon General Role and the MAHA Agenda
The U.S. Surgeon General, often called “the nation’s doctor,” plays a key role in shaping public health messaging and leads the 6,000-member U.S. Public Health Service Corps. The office also issues public health advisories and partners with other agencies in times of crisis.
If confirmed, Means would likely work to implement RFK Jr.’s broad MAHA platform, which includes:
- Eliminating thousands of food additives and synthetic chemicals
- Reforming federal nutrition programs to favor whole foods
- Unraveling pharmaceutical industry influence in government policy
- Incentivizing exercise and glucose monitoring in schools and workplaces
Trump’s decision to back Means is seen as an endorsement of a holistic, anti-establishment approach to public health, one that could sharply contrast with previous Surgeon Generals who often emphasized vaccination campaigns and pharmaceutical solutions.
As the Senate prepares for another contentious confirmation process, Dr. Casey Means stands poised to redefine what it means to be Surgeon General—less bureaucrat, more wellness crusader.
Trump Picks Casey
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