Just two weeks after winning a second term, Donald Trump announced that he wanted Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, a Fox News contributor, to serve as the next U.S. surgeon general. Nearly six months later, the family medicine physician’s nomination has collapsed — and neither the president nor his White House team have explained why.
That said, The Associated Press reported that Nesheiwat was targeted by Laura Loomer — a right-wing activist, radical conspiracy theorist and Trump confidant — who complained about the doctor’s support for Covid vaccines, among other things.
Whatever the motivation for her withdrawal, the president claimed that Nesheiwat will work at the Department of Health and Human Services in “another capacity,” while Dr. Casey Means takes center stage as the White House’s second choice for surgeon general. NBC News took note of some basic details of her background:
Means, who received undergraduate and medical degrees from Stanford University, has held research positions at the National Institutes of Health, New York University and Oregon Health & Science University. She is a proponent of metabolic health, when your body processes food in a way that keeps your blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides and weight within healthy ranges.
The same report noted that Means has long been celebrated by none other than Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is himself a longtime proponent of ridiculous conspiracy theories and bizarre scientific ideas.
And therein lies the problem.
While U.S. surgeons general tend to have extensive experience in medicine and public health, Means was described by the AP as a “wellness influencer” who dropped out of her surgical residency program and has no experience in public health administration. The same report noted that Means has supplemented her income by selling “dietary supplements, creams, teas and other products sponsored on her social media accounts.” The Wall Street Journal reported that Means’ political profile received a significant boost after she taped interviews with conservative commentator Tucker Carlson and podcaster Joe Rogan. The same article added, “Means’s newsletter offers a mixture of practical health advice (‘Exercise to boost blood flow’) and broader takes (‘When we fight the natural cycles, we exploit’). She has taken some positions, such as on raw milk, at odds with public-health officials.” As for her approach to vaccines, the New York Times reported, “Dr. Means has echoed some of Mr. Kennedy’s skepticism of vaccines, calling on the new administration to study their ‘cumulative effects’ and to weaken liability protections offered to vaccine makers.” This is a Senate-confirmed position. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that her confirmation hearings will inevitably be the most contentious of any surgeon general nominee ever.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past."
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