Laura Loomer Sets to Work on New MAGA Civil War Over Trump Pick
President Donald Trump's nominee for U.S. surgeon general is taking fire from all sides.
Days after it was revealed that Janette Nesheiwat earned her M.D. from the American University of the Caribbean—and not the University of Arkansas, as she had long claimed—MAGA conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer has called for Trump to pick a new, anti-vaxxer nominee.
Nesheiwat, who served as the medical director of a for-profit chain of urgent-care centers in New York, joined Fox News as a medical contributor during the COVID-19 pandemic and has given on-air interviews for other networks.
Her Senate confirmation hearing is scheduled for Thursday.
'I know @realDonald Trump likes people who go on TV for some weird reason I will never understand (I still love him), but we can't have a pro-COVID vaccine nepo appointee who is currently embroiled in a medical malpractice case and who didn't go to medical school in the US as the US Surgeon General.' Loomer wrote in a post on X. 'She is now being accused of lying about her credentials.'
The post came just days after the 31-year-old 9/11 truther celebrated the ouster of Nesheiwat's brother-in-law, Trump's former National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, and took credit for the firing. The president has also fired Air Force Gen. Timothy Haugh, who was head of U.S. Cyber Command, after Loomer launched a loyalty purge last month.
Later Monday morning, Loomer noted in a follow-up post that Nesheiwat's social media bio on the site X no longer said 'nominee for US surgeon general.'
'Interesting,' Loomer wrote. 'Perhaps she is out!'
The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House for comment.
During her TV interviews, Nesheiwat was often introduced as a double board-certified physician in family and emergency medicine. She has often said her father's tragic death from a freak shooting accident when she was 13 inspired her to go into medicine.
But according to Anthony Clark, the independent journalist who broke the story about her medical degree and credentials, she was only board certified in family medicine, not emergency medicine. Nesheiwat herself has described urgent care as different from emergency medicine in that urgent-care doctors only treat non-life-threatening medical problems.
After her nomination for surgeon general, she quietly removed her specialization in 'ER medicine' from her website, Clark reported, and sometime after CBS reported on her medical degree on April 29, she changed her LinkedIn profile to reflect her real alma mater.
But it's the part of her biography that's true—the fact that she worked on the front lines treating thousands of patients in New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic—that Loomer really takes issue with.
During the pandemic, Nesheiwat described vaccine hesitancy as a 'global health threat' and encouraged viewers to get vaccinated.
'She used her access to Fox News to promote the dangerous Covid vaccine, which is now killing millions of people,' Loomer wrote.
A 2022 study of the side effects of the 8 billion COVID-19 jabs administered worldwide found that just 55 people had died after being vaccinated. Of those deaths, 38 were found to have possibly been related to vaccine side effects, and even then, more research was needed to determine whether there was a causal relationship, according to the National Library of Medicine.
Loomer then repeated the conspiracy theory that vaccines cause autism and accused Nesheiwat of 'not being ideologically aligned with Donald Trump or his admin's health initiatives.'
She wrote: 'By her own logic, President Donald Trump and [Health and Human Services Secretary] Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are GLOBAL HEALTH THREATS because they are challenging the safety of childhood vaccines,' which yes, fair point.
Since taking the helm at HHS, Kennedy—a longtime crusader against vaccines—has appointed a vaccine skeptic to investigate the debunked link between vaccination and autism, forced out the nation's top vaccine regulator, and promoted unhinged conspiracy theories about the MMR vaccine containing 'fetus debris.'
'I genuinely wish we had a different nominee that was more aligned with personal liberties,' Loomer wrote.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Rand Paul says Trump is 'upsetting the apple cart' as judges halt his executive orders
CEDAR RAPIDS — As President Donald Trump wages a battle against judges who have blocked pieces of his second-term agenda, US Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky said Trump is "not afraid of a challenge," but the courts have many questions to resolve. Frustrated by judicial rulings delaying many of Trump's policies from taking effect, the president and his allies have intensely pressured the judiciary in the early days of his administration. With clarity on the legal limits of Trump's authority in limbo, the courts will have to weigh in, Paul said at an Iowa GOP event at the Elmcrest Country Club in Cedar Rapids on Thursday, May 29. 'Some of them could be legal," Paul said. "Some of them might not. They're all going to be adjudicated. … He's upsetting the apple cart, and we're going to figure out where it lands." Trump's actions have drawn nearly 250 legal challenges so far and resulted in at least 25 nationwide injunctions through late April that have paused Trump's actions. Facing a temporarily thwarted agenda, Trump has called to impeach and arrest judges, slammed them on social media and tried to circumvent their rulings. Both sides of the political spectrum have called the showdown a constitutional crisis, arguing judges are upholding their interpretation of the law. Other conservative critics dismiss it as activism if judges overturn Trump's use of emergency powers. 'I don't know how the courts are going to handle this," Paul said. "There's so many lawsuits going through this time.' Trump's campaign pledges to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, deport undocumented immigrants and reduce the federal bureaucracy are among his priorities stalled in the courts. Just this week, the Court of International Trade blocked Trump's sweeping tariffs. A federal appeals court ruled earlier May 29 to temporarily restore Trump's ability to impose tariffs using the emergency powers he declared. Paul told reporters he favored limiting presidential emergency powers. "You shouldn't be able to declare an emergency on the entire world and then raise taxes," Paul said. "… How can you have an emergency with every country in the world, and then you take away the power to tax from Congress and the president does it on his own?" The danger in allowing Trump to do this, Paul said, is that Democratic presidents could later use broad emergency powers to roll out policies conservatives find objectionable. Paul warned of allowing 'bad emergency orders' from future Democratic leaders. He pointed to steps Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat who has held office since 2019, took during the COVID-19 pandemic to close schools, churches and other establishments to curb the virus' spread. 'I don't want the left to rule the country by emergency power,' Paul said to some nods of agreement from the audience. 'This isn't against Donald Trump, it's against the idea that one person can make rules for this country.' Paul has been a vocal critic of Trump's tariffs and of the domestic policy package backed by Trump known as the "Big, Beautiful Bill." Kentucky's junior senator called the proposed spending cuts under the legislation advanced by House Republicans "wimpy and anemic" in West Des Moines on May 28 and said he wouldn't vote on it in its current form. He advocated shifting more spending on entitlements — mandatory spending such as Medicaid — to the states to drastically slash federal spending. Republican Party of Iowa Chair Jeff Kaufmann praised Paul, telling him "you lead the way when Republicans have conversations within ourselves." He called on the crowd to preserve the slim five-seat majority in the U.S. House that makes conservative legislation possible and warned the GOP faces a "tremendous fight" in 2026 midterm elections. "If we wouldn't have this small margin, we would absolutely have no 'Big, Beautiful Bill," Kaufmann said. "… We would not have anything except for impeachment. Do not forget that. If we did not have the margin in the House, we would have impeachment and wouldn't even be having a conversation about it." Marissa Payne covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. Reach her by email at mjpayne@ Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @marissajpayne. (This story was updated to change a promo image.) This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Rand Paul: Trump 'upsetting the apple cart' with judiciary showdown
Newsweek
21 minutes ago
- Newsweek
'Trump Burger' Gets Scathing Reviews From Food Critics: 'Bland'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A new Trump Burger restaurant that opened in Houston, Texas, this month has been panned by food critics, one reviewer describing its burgers as "consistent in blandness." The pro-Donald Trump chain has been praised by some customers online, one saying it had "amazing food," another that its burgers were "really really good." Newsweek contacted Trump Burger for comment on Friday outside of regular office hours via email. Why It Matters President Trump remains popular with Republican voters 50 percent of whom identify as part of his Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement according to a recent YouGov/The Economist poll. Conservative dissatisfaction with mainstream brands has led to the launch of a series of partisan products including 'Ultra Right' beer, created in response to Bud Light's relationship with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. What To Know On May 9, Trump Burger opened a new outlet in Houston, adding to restaurants in Bellville, Flatonia and Kemah. The chain, founded by Lebanese immigrant Roland Beainy, is branded around Trump with its restaurants featuring pictures and cutouts of the president along with his campaign material. Its menu includes the 8oz Trump Cheeseburger and the 16oz Trump Tower, both with fries, lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles and Trump Sauce. A burger at Trump Burger restaurant, in Bellville, Texas, on April 19, 2025. A burger at Trump Burger restaurant, in Bellville, Texas, on April 19, 2025. RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP/GETTY A Biden Burger is also jokingly listed, which consists of "1 oz. beef, topped with tomato lettuce (not fresh) and our old buns." This satirical product is priced at $50.99 and marked as "not available for cheating reasons." On Thursday the Houston Chronicle published a review of Trump Burger from Yi-Chin Lee, based on visits to its Houston and Kemah restaurants. Lee said the chain's burgers were "consistent in blandness" describing one as "like one a cargo-short-wearing dad might serve when he's cosplaying a Food Network grill master once a year for a holiday picnic." He added: "It's missing the craggy edges which tells you the meat hasn't been on a hot grill for just enough time to develop that beefy flavor. There's no trace of char or smoke. Each bite doesn't leave you wanting more because there's no juiciness, and a slice of American cheese is barely melted." Referring to the fries, Lee said: "The regular and sweet potato fries arrived hot and crisp on the exterior, but they were either soggy inside or oversalted. I've watched the kitchen pull frozen fries from a brown bag, too. Onion rings also lacked that contrast between a well-fried exterior and tender sweetness of an allium." However he described the First Lady Chicken Sandwich, a tribute to Melania Trump, as "better than the burger, with a nicely grilled, not-too-dry chicken breast draped with two slices of American cheese." A review of the chain was also published on May 15 by Eater Houston, a food review website focused around the Texan city. Author Brittany Britto Garley, who visited multiple Trump Burger branches, concluded: "The chargrilled burger patties are thick but bland, topped with a waxy cheese that lacks any memorable flavor. The fries are crisp, and the meals affordable, clocking in at around the same price as you can get a burger and fries at another, arguably better, burger joint." People visit and dine at the Trump Burger restaurant in Bellville, Texas, on April 19, 2025. People visit and dine at the Trump Burger restaurant in Bellville, Texas, on April 19, 2025. RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP/GETTY Referring to the atmosphere at one outlet Garley said: "As I walked in on a recent Sunday, the tension, likely combined with our nervousness, felt palpable. Here, the vibe wasn't festive—it was stiff, uncertain, and uncomfortable, particularly for me, a woman of color. The other diners present avoided eye contact." However the Trump Burger branch in Bellville had a positive, 4.4 stars out of five, rating on Google reviews, based on 1,509 customer ratings. Dave Fredrick, a customer, gave five stars and wrote: "Amazing food. 10/10 will eat here again for absolute pleasure. My burger was made perfectly and so was my spouse['s] burger. I have to say it was close to being the best mushroom and Swiss I've had in a long time!!! Definitely recommend this place!!" Maureen Guzman also gave five stars adding: "Small town patriotic vibes at Trump Cafe! It didn't disappoint. Burgers were really really good! Will go back next time we are in Bellville." Victoria Ramos was more critical, only giving three stars out of five. She said: "My family and I visited around 2:30 on a Saturday afternoon and it was moderately busy. Definitely a novelty kind of establishment as I don't feel the need to return, but wouldn't object to another try at a later time." In a January 2024 article for review website UponArriving, former Trump Burger customer Daniel Gillaspia said: "The veggies on the burger appeared fresh, although the patty didn't quite match my personal taste. It had a reminiscent quality of those cafeteria-style patties—not terrible, just not the kind that leaves you with amazement. "On the flip side, the fries were a highlight, boasting a nice and crispy texture. All in all, I'd categorize the food as decent, falling in line with your typical burger joint fare." What Happens Next It remains to be seen whether Trump Burger will continue to expand and to what extent its fortune will be tied to the political trials and tribulations of its presidential namesake.
Yahoo
25 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Markets Surge After Trump's Humiliating Tariff Plan Setback
U.S. stock futures surged after a bombshell court ruling blocked President Trump's sweeping 'Liberation Day' tariffs. Benchmark S&P 500 futures rose 1.2 percent early Thursday, while Dow futures climbed 0.7 percent. Nasdaq futures saw the biggest spike, gaining around 1.7 percent. The jumps came after the U.S. Court of International Trade ruled that Trump had overstepped his authority in using federal law to impose steep import taxes on almost all foreign countries. The duties, which Trump announced in April and later paused, have severely roiled the markets since they were announced. Following Trump's announcement, three major U.S. stock indexes recorded their largest single-day drops since the outbreak of COVID-19 back in 2020. Trump had invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose the measures. In the trade court's ruling, a three-judge panel said on Wednesday the provisions of that act do not authorize the president to bring universal levies, and that Trump's tariffs thereby 'exceed any authority granted' to him. Trump used a different law to impose tariffs on targeted products, such as aluminum and cars, meaning they remain in effect. Though the White House almost immediately appealed the judges' decision, news of the ruling also appears to have prompted a surge in markets further afield. South Korea's KOSPI, Japan's Nikkei 225, and Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose by 1.89 percent, 1.88 percent, and 1.35 percent respectively. Investors' optimism could prove to be short-lived, however, with some analysts highlighting that the Trump administration could find ways to press ahead with its tariff plans despite the ruling. 'This ruling represents a setback for the administration's tariff plans and increases uncertainty but might not change the final outcome for most major U.S. trading partners,' economists at Goldman Sachs said in a research note, according to CNBC. 'For now, we expect the Trump administration will find other ways to impose tariffs.' President Trump has yet to address the ruling. He ignored the blow to his signature economic policy Wednesday night, instead spending the evening posting about a victory in an unrelated legal battle and sharing flattering images of himself, including one that said he is on 'a mission from God.' Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
