Dr Casey Means nominated as US surgeon general: MAHA influencer impressed Donald Trump
President Donald Trump has nominated Dr. Casey Means — a Stanford-trained surgeon turned wellness influencer — as the next U.S. Surgeon General, replacing former Fox News contributor Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, whose nomination was abruptly withdrawn ahead of her confirmation hearing.
Means has co-founded the health tech startup Levels and has built a large online following promoting lifestyle-based interventions to combat chronic illness.
She will be tasked with championing Trump's 'Make America Healthy Again (MAHA)' agenda.
The initiative is being led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., with whom Means has close ties.
Trump called Means 'an extraordinary leader with impeccable MAHA credentials,' adding that she 'has the potential to be one of the finest Surgeon Generals in U.S. history.'
The president also praised her 'outstanding' academic background and dedication to eradicating chronic disease.
Means, 38, has no prior government experience and left her surgical residency disillusioned with traditional medicine.
Since then, she has become a vocal critic of the healthcare system, linking modern chronic diseases to poor diet and environmental toxins.
Alongside her brother, Calley Means — now a White House adviser — she has advocated for sweeping changes in food policy, pharmaceutical oversight, and nutritional education.
Their work helped broker Kennedy's 2024 endorsement of Trump, and the siblings have since gained support from conservative figures like Tucker Carlson and Joe Rogan.
Calley is also known for promoting policies like cutting SNAP food benefits and removing fluoride from drinking water.
While Casey Means steers clear of Robert Kennedy Jr.'s debunked vaccine theories, she has called for increased scrutiny into vaccine safety and easing legal barriers for patients to sue pharmaceutical companies — positions that could draw scrutiny during Senate confirmation.
Her nomination follows the withdrawal of Janette Nesheiwat, who was scheduled to appear before the Senate Health Committee this week.
Nesheiwat's credentials were questioned after reports revealed she earned her degree from a Caribbean medical school, not the University of Arkansas as previously claimed.
If confirmed, Means would oversee the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and serve as a national voice on major health issues — including nutrition, chronic illness, and health equity.
Her appointment would also further align Trump's health policy with Kennedy's controversial but increasingly influential MAHA platform, which includes proposals to ban food additives and overhaul school lunch standards.
As the 2024 campaign season accelerates, Trump's latest pick for the nation's top medical post signals a sharp pivot toward wellness populism and a continued challenge to traditional public health leadership.
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