Latest news with #pro-COVID
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
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.
Indian Express
07-05-2025
- Health
- Indian Express
Donald Trump taps wellness influencer close to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for surgeon general
President Donald Trump is tapping Dr. Casey Means, a wellness influencer with close ties to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., as his nominee for surgeon general after withdrawing his initial pick for the influential health post. Trump said in a social media post Wednesday that Means has 'impeccable 'MAHA' credentials' – referring to the ' Make America Healthy Again ' slogan – and that she will work to eradicate chronic disease and improve the health and well-being of Americans. 'Her academic achievements, together with her life's work, are absolutely outstanding,' Trump said. 'Dr. Casey Means has the potential to be one of the finest Surgeon Generals in United States History.' In doing so, Trump withdrew former Fox News medical contributor Janette Nesheiwat for U.S. surgeon general, marking at least the second health-related pick from Trump to be pulled from Senate consideration. Nesheiwat had been scheduled to appear before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Thursday for her confirmation hearing. Nesheiwat is a medical director for an urgent care company in New York and has appeared regularly on Fox News to offer medical expertise and insights. She is a vocal supporter of Trump and shares photos of them together on social media. Nesheiwat is also the sister-in-law of former national security adviser Mike Waltz, who has been nominated to be Trump's ambassador to the United Nations. But she has recently come under criticism from Laura Loomer, a far-right ally of Trump who was instrumental in ousting several members of the president's National Security Council. Loomer posted on X earlier this week that '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 surgeon general. Independent freelance journalist Anthony Clark reported last month that Nesheiwat earned her medical degree from the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine in St. Maarten, despite saying that she has a degree from the University of Arkansas School of Medicine. The surgeon general, considered the nation's doctor, oversees 6,000 U.S. Public Health Service Corps members and can issue advisories that warn of public health threats. In March, the White House pulled from consideration the nomination of former Florida GOP Rep. Dave Weldon to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. His skepticism on vaccines had raised concerns from key Republican senators, and he withdrew after being told by the White House that he did not have enough support to be confirmed.
Newsweek
07-05-2025
- Health
- Newsweek
Who is Casey Means? Trump Nominates Wellness Influencer as Surgeon General
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. President Donald Trump has selected Dr. Casey Means, a wellness advocate and social media influencer with close ties to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as his new nominee for U.S. surgeon general. The decision follows the withdrawal of Trump's initial pick, Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, from Senate consideration. In a Wednesday post on social media, Trump praised Means for her health-focused background and alignment with his "Make America Healthy Again" initiative, saying she has "impeccable 'MAHA' credentials." He added, "Her academic achievements, together with her life's work, are absolutely outstanding. Dr. Casey Means has the potential to be one of the finest Surgeon Generals in United States History." Means is expected to focus on combating chronic disease and improving overall public health. President Donald Trump is tapping Casey Means, a wellness influencer with close ties to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., as his nominee for surgeon general after withdrawing his initial pick for... President Donald Trump is tapping Casey Means, a wellness influencer with close ties to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., as his nominee for surgeon general after withdrawing his initial pick for the influential health post. More The move comes as Trump withdrew Nesheiwat's nomination amid growing scrutiny. Two individuals familiar with the decision confirmed the withdrawal, which had not yet been publicly announced. Nesheiwat, the medical director of a New York urgent care center and a frequent Fox News contributor, had been scheduled to appear before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee for her confirmation hearing Thursday. She is a vocal supporter of Trump and has a family tie to former National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, who is now Trump's pick for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. However, Nesheiwat faced backlash from some of Trump's far-right allies. Activist Laura Loomer criticized her credentials on social media, claiming she was "a pro-COVID vaccine nepo appointee" involved in a medical malpractice case and questioned her education. CBS News later reported that Nesheiwat earned her medical degree from the American University of the Caribbean in St. Maarten, despite claiming it came from the University of Arkansas. The controversy mirrors another recent withdrawal—former Florida GOP Rep. Dave Weldon, who had been nominated to lead the CDC, withdrew in March after concerns about his vaccine skepticism led the White House to conclude he lacked sufficient Senate support. As surgeon general, Means would oversee the 6,000-member U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and serve as the nation's leading voice on public health, with the authority to issue advisories on major health threats. Reporting by the Associated Press contributed to this story. This is a developing news story and will be updated as more information is available.
Winnipeg Free Press
07-05-2025
- Health
- Winnipeg Free Press
White House withdraws nomination of a former Fox News contributor for US surgeon general
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is withdrawing the nomination of a former Fox News medical contributor Janette Nesheiwat for U.S. surgeon general, marking at least the second health-related pick from President Donald Trump to be pulled from Senate consideration. The withdrawal was confirmed by two people familiar with the matter. Nesheiwat had been scheduled to appear before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Thursday for her confirmation hearing. The people spoke on condition of anonymity to confirm a decision not yet made public. Nesheiwat is a medical director for an urgent care company in New York and has appeared regularly on Fox News to offer medical expertise and insights. She is a vocal supporter of Trump and shares photos of them together on social media. Nesheiwat is also the sister-in-law of former national security adviser Mike Waltz, who has been nominated to be Trump's ambassador to the United Nations. FILE - Janette Nesheiwat arrives at the Fox Nation's Patriot Awards, Nov. 16, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV, File) But she has recently come under criticism from Laura Loomer, a far-right ally of Trump who was instrumental in ousting several members of the president's National Security Council. Loomer posted on X earlier this week that '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 surgeon general. CBS News reported last week that Nesheiwat earned her medical degree from the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine in St. Maarten, despite saying that she has a degree from the University of Arkansas School of Medicine. The surgeon general, considered the nation's doctor, oversees 6,000 U.S. Public Health Service Corps members and can issue advisories that warn of public health threats. Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Sign up for The Warm-Up In March, the White House pulled from consideration the nomination of former Florida GOP Rep. Dave Weldon to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. His skepticism on vaccines had raised concerns from key Republican senators, and he withdrew after being told by the White House that he did not have enough support to be confirmed. The withdrawal was first reported by Bloomberg News.
Associated Press
07-05-2025
- Health
- Associated Press
White House withdraws nomination of Fox News contributor for US surgeon general
Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is withdrawing the nomination of Fox News medical contributor Janette Nesheiwat for U.S. surgeon general, marking at least the second health-related pick from President Donald Trump to be pulled from Senate consideration. The withdrawal was confirmed by two people familiar with the matter. Nesheiwat had been scheduled to appear before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Thursday for her confirmation hearing. The people spoke on condition of anonymity to confirm a decision not yet made public. Nesheiwat is a medical director for an urgent care company in New York and has appeared regularly on Fox News to offer medical expertise and insights. She is a vocal supporter of Trump and shares photos of them together on social media. But she has recently come under criticism from Laura Loomer , a far-right ally of Trump who was instrumental in ousting several members of the president's National Security Council. Loomer posted on X earlier this week that '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 surgeon general. CBS News reported last week that Nesheiwat earned her medical degree from the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine in St. Maarten, despite saying that she has a degree from the University of Arkansas School of Medicine. The surgeon general, considered the nation's doctor, oversees 6,000 U.S. Public Health Service Corps members and can issue advisories that warn of public health threats. In March, the White House pulled from consideration the nomination of former Florida GOP Rep. Dave Weldon to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. His skepticism on vaccines had raised concerns from key Republican senators , and he withdrew after being told by the White House that he did not have enough support to be confirmed. The withdrawal was first reported by Bloomberg News.
