Washington, D.C. — In a significant reshuffle of his health leadership team, former President Donald Trump has nominated Dr. Casey Means, a prominent wellness advocate and co-founder of a health technology startup, as the next U.S. Surgeon General. The announcement comes shortly after Trump withdrew his initial nominee, Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, from Senate consideration.
Dr. Means, known for her outspoken advocacy on nutrition, lifestyle-driven health reform, and her affiliations with independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has been described by Trump as possessing “impeccable ‘Make America Healthy Again’ credentials.” He praised her academic background and her mission to tackle chronic disease through natural approaches to wellness.
“Dr. Casey Means has the potential to be one of the finest Surgeon Generals in United States history,” Trump said in a social media post on Wednesday.
The move signals a clear pivot from Trump’s earlier selection of Nesheiwat, a former Fox News medical contributor and urgent care director, whose nomination faced criticism over her stance on COVID-19 vaccines and questions about her medical credentials. Her confirmation hearing was scheduled for this week before being abruptly canceled.
Dr. Means, a Stanford-trained surgeon who left clinical medicine to co-found Levels, a metabolic health tech company, has built a large following by promoting dietary reform and holistic health. She is a frequent critic of the pharmaceutical and processed food industries, arguing they perpetuate dependency on medications by undermining the country’s metabolic health.
Her nomination has drawn attention not only for her unconventional views but also for her deep ties to RFK Jr.'s political movement. Alongside her brother, Calley Means — a former lobbyist and now a White House adviser — she helped shape parts of Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” agenda, which includes controversial calls to eliminate food additives, remove fluoride from water, and overhaul federal nutrition policies.
Though Dr. Means has distanced herself from Kennedy’s discredited anti-vaccine rhetoric, she has publicly called for more transparency and legal accountability regarding vaccine safety. On her website, she advocates revisiting laws that currently shield vaccine manufacturers from lawsuits.
Health experts have expressed mixed reactions to her nomination. While acknowledging the role of processed foods in chronic illness, some caution against oversimplified solutions.
“It’s much more complicated than just blaming processed food,” said Gabby Headrick, a public health nutrition researcher at George Washington University. “The challenge lies in balancing innovation with evidence-based policy.”
If confirmed, Dr. Means would oversee the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and serve as a key public voice on national health priorities. She would also be instrumental in advancing the Maha agenda, which includes sweeping reforms targeting food policy, agency transparency, and preventive care.
Trump’s nomination of Means follows another high-profile withdrawal in March, when former Florida Congressman Dave Weldon pulled out from consideration to lead the CDC over concerns about his vaccine skepticism.
With her nomination now under scrutiny, Dr. Means faces a complex confirmation process in a polarized political climate, as public health continues to intersect with ideology and national policy.
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