Overview

• President Trump announced Dr. Casey Means, a Stanford-trained physician and wellness influencer, as his new Surgeon General nominee after withdrawing Dr. Janette Nesheiwat over credential concerns.
• Means has no prior government experience and left her surgical residency, instead building a career promoting natural health solutions and co-founding the health tech startup Levels.
• She is closely tied to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his 'Make America Healthy Again' platform, which emphasizes lifestyle changes and critiques traditional medicine.
• Critics have raised concerns about her qualifications, inactive medical license, and controversial stances on vaccines and hormonal birth control, while supporters praise her focus on chronic disease prevention.
• If confirmed, Means would oversee the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and serve as the nation's top health spokesperson, advocating for policies reshaping public health norms.