In a surprise move, President Donald Trump nominated Dr. Casey Means as the next U.S. surgeon general, replacing Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, whose nomination collapsed under questions over her credentials and far-right attacks. At 37, Means brings a unique blend of medical training and wellness entrepreneurship. But her unconventional résumé has already ignited fierce debate over whether a “wellness influencer” is fit for a Senate-confirmed role.
From Stanford to “Maha” Advocate
Dr. Means earned her MD from Stanford University and held research posts at the National Institutes of Health, New York University, and Oregon Health & Science University. However, she later left a surgical residency program to co-found Levels, a continuous glucose-monitoring startup. And emerged as a leading voice in metabolic health. In 2024, she co-authored Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health with her brother Calley Means, drawing praise from conservative influencers like Joe Rogan and Tucker Carlson.
Her alignment with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s MAHA (“Make America Healthy Again”) agenda. Which blames chronic disease on a “toxic food system” and accuses pharma of profiteering, played prominently in Trump’s announcement. He hailed her “impeccable ‘MAHA’ credentials” and vowed she would “reverse the Chronic Disease Epidemic.”
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Points of Contention Ahead of Confirmation
While her metabolic insights win followers online, critics question her lack of public-health administration experience and her departure from surgical training. Key issues likely to dominate her hearings include:
- Wellness Influencer Role: Means supplements income by selling dietary supplements and creams via social media. That’s unusual for a surgeon general nominee.
- Vaccine Skepticism: She has echoed Kennedy’s calls to study the “cumulative effects” of vaccines and suggested weakening liability protections for manufacturers.
- Raw Milk Advocacy: Her support for unpasteurized milk diverges from mainstream public-health advice.
Former Surgeon General Jerome Adams, an anesthesiologist with a background as Indiana’s health commissioner, contrasts sharply with Means’s unconventional trajectory. As the surgeon general nominee, she will need to assuage senators concerned about balancing scientific rigor with her entrepreneurial pursuits.
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Political Backdrop and White House Dynamics
Trump’s choice follows the withdrawal of Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, a Fox News contributor criticized by far-right activist Laura Loomer. Why? For allegedly misrepresenting her medical degree and for her pro–COVID vaccine stance. Though the president said Nesheiwat would assume “another capacity” at HHS. His pivot to Means underscores the administration’s shift toward health figures aligned with the Maha movement.
In nominating a figure celebrated on conservative podcasts and embraced by Kennedy Jr., Trump cements his message that the next Surgeon General will challenge pharmaceutical influence. And promote metabolic wellness—positions sure to galvanize both supporters and skeptics in Congress.
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📢 For continuous coverage on Casey Means’s confirmation journey, insights into the Surgeon General’s role, and the latest in U.S. health policy, stay tuned to TNN. We’ll deliver expert analysis on how this nomination could reshape America’s approach to chronic disease, vaccine policy, and the broader Maha debate. 🚨
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