Trump's nomination of Casey Means for surgeon general prompts mixed reactions, heated debate

President Donald Trump pulled his support for Janette Nesheiwat to become surgeon general days after the publication of an article accusing the former Fox News medical contributor of "falsely represent[ing] and obfuscat[ing] facts about her medical education, board certifications, and military service" — an article that activist Laura Loomer greatly amplified.

On Wednesday, the president announced that he was instead nominating Dr. Casey Means, a tech entrepreneur and Stanford-educated doctor who has long criticized the exploitative nature of the health care system.

"Casey has impeccable 'MAHA' credentials, and will work closely with our wonderful Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., to ensure a successful implementation of our Agenda in order to reverse the Chronic Disease Epidemic, and ensure Great Health, in the future, for ALL Americans."

Trump added, "Dr. Casey Means has the potential to be one of the finest Surgeon Generals in United States History."

Trump's decision was met with mixed responses from some of his allies and supporters.

While many in Trump's broader coalition celebrated the president's second pick, underscoring that Means was "an upgrade" from Nesheiwat, others cast doubt on her qualifications and past remarks.

Against

"It's very strange," wrote Nicole Shanahan, the host of Blaze Media's "Back to the People" podcast and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s running mate in his 2024 presidential campaign.

"Doesn't make any sense. I was promised that if I supported RFK Jr. in his Senate confirmation that neither of these siblings would be working under HHS or in an appointment (and that people much more qualified would be)," continued Shanahan. "I don't know if RFK very clearly lied to me, or what is going on."

In January, Shanahan threatened to primary senators if they tried to torpedo Kennedy's nomination, telling Georgia Democratic Senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff specifically that she was watching their votes and would make it her "personal mission" that they lose their seats if they voted "against the future health of America's children."

Shanahan, who did not immediately respond to Blaze News' request for clarification, suggested further in her Wednesday post that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appears to be "reporting to someone regularly who is controlling his decisions (and it isn't President Trump)."

Shanahan, a big proponent of the Make America Healthy Again movement, suggested further that "there is something very artificial and aggressive" about Means and her brother Calley Means, a White House health adviser and former food industry lobbyist — "almost like they were bred and raised Manchurian assets."

Blaze News reached out to a spokeswoman for Means but did not receive a response by deadline. Politico was informed by an HHS spokesman that the agency would respond to requests for comment on Casey Means' behalf and linked to Kennedy's Thursday tweet, discussed later in this article.

'She talks to trees and doesn't even have an active medical license.'

Loomer appeared more critical of Trump's second pick than she was of his first, firing off a barrage of denigrating posts aimed at Means, writing, "This is so embarrassing for the Trump administration."

In addition to complaining that Means "doesn't have a surgical residency, and isn't a surgeon" — Politico indicated Means was trained at Stanford Medical School as a head and neck surgeon but dropped out of her surgical residency in the fifth year — Loomer seized upon one of Means' newsletters as evidence of the doctor's supposed engagement in "Witch Craft."

The basis for Loomer's allegation of sorcery was a newsletter wherein Means allegedly claimed she prayed to a photo of her ancestors at a meditation shrine in her house; "worked with a spiritual medium who helped [her] try to connect with [her] spirit guides"; "did full moon ceremonies with grounded, powerful women"; spoke to trees; and "did plant medicine experiences with trusted guides."

"So basically the new Surgeon General is a total crack pot, a shroom consumer and she talks to trees and doesn't even have an active medical license," wrote Loomer, who bragged earlier about initiating the "MAHA breakup." "Another failure by the 'geniuses' who work for President Trump on his non existent vetting team."

For

Kennedy thanked Trump on Thursday for nominating Means, noting that the "Surgeon General is a symbol of moral authority who stands against the financial and institutional gravities that tend to corporatize medicine. Casey Means was born to hold this job."

In a subsequent tweet, the HHS secretary characterized the attacks on Means as "absurd," suggesting they "reveal just how far off course our healthcare conversations have veered, and how badly entrenched interests — including Big Food and its industry-funded social media gurus — are terrified of change."

'They understand the sacrifice of what she gave up to be allegiant to the truth.'

In addition to highlighting her academic achievements in the field of medicine and noting she "was a top performer in surgical residency," Kennedy underscored that the "attacks that Casey is unqualified because she left the medical system completely miss the point of what we are trying to accomplish with MAHA."

Whereas some critics suggested Means' departure from the traditional medical system was disqualifying, the health secretary — who was himself an outsider where the medical establishment is concerned — said that made her the "perfect choice."

"I have little doubt that these companies and their conflicted media outlets will continue to pay bloggers and other social media influencers to weaponize innuendo to slander and vilify Casey, the same way they try to defame me and President Trump," added Kennedy.

Prior to Kennedy mounting his defense of Means, BlazeTV's Liz Wheeler addressed the attacks on the doctor, then gave a rebuttal.

Without naming her outright, Wheeler hit back against two of Loomer's top grievances — the status of Means' medical license and her father's authorship of a book premised on gender ideology.

"The inactive medical license is not a big deal," wrote Wheeler. "It's pretty common for MAHA providers to let their medical license lapse anyway, because when you advise things that aren't within 'standards of care' you can be liable legally."

Wheeler suggested that the book written by Means' father, which deals with a kid's so-called "gender identity," was irrelevant, first, because Dr. Means "had nothing to do with the writing of the book," second, because she has criticized transgenderism in the past, and third, because of the work's limited impact.

After rebuffing Loomer's top complaints, Wheeler emphasized that Means is an excellent communicator who has successfully "opened more people's eyes" to the role that "Big Food & Big Pharma" have had in driving America's chronic health epidemic — a doctor whose story "resonates with people because they understand the sacrifice of what she gave up to be allegiant to the truth."

Wheeler thanked Trump for appointing Means, stressing that his appointment of disruptors "is what we voted for!"

Donald Trump Jr., Turning Point USA CEO Charlie Kirk, U.S. Commissioner of Food and Drugs Martin Makary, and others in the MAGA ecosystem have similarly expressed their delight with Trump's second pick.

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