President Trump’s new pick for Surgeon General, Dr. Casey Means, faces a Senate showdown as critics question her medical credentials and the politicization of America’s top health office.
Story Snapshot
- The Senate will hold its first-ever virtual confirmation hearing for Trump’s Surgeon General nominee, Dr. Casey Means, amidst sharp scrutiny.
- Means, a health influencer without completed surgical residency, is positioned to advance the “Make America Healthy Again” agenda.
- Her nomination signals a shift away from the woke, politicized priorities seen under the previous administration’s Surgeon General.
- Former Trump Surgeon General Jerome Adams publicly criticizes the process and the nominee’s qualifications.
Historic Senate Hearing for Trump’s Surgeon General Nominee
The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee is set to host a pivotal confirmation hearing for President Trump’s Surgeon General nominee, Dr. Casey Means, on October 30. This proceeding is groundbreaking as the first-ever virtual confirmation hearing, arranged to accommodate Means, who is currently pregnant. The hearing marks the final addition to Trump’s “Make America Healthy Again” Cabinet, emphasizing the administration’s focus on overhauling health leadership after years of controversial priorities under the Biden era.
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. She will provide our country with ethical guidance, wisdom, and gold-standard medical advice… https://t.co/VmQOhf93h5
— Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) May 8, 2025
Means, sister to White House health policy adviser Calley Means, received her medical degree from Stanford but did not finish her surgical residency. She left her program just months before completion, citing disillusionment with the incentives driving surgical care. Trump selected Means following the withdrawal of his initial nominee, citing the support of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who described Means as “born to hold this job” and praised her as an ethical force for challenging medical orthodoxy.
Watch: Who is Casey Means, Trump’s pick for Surgeon General? – YouTube
Means’ Public Profile and Alignment with Conservative Health Values
Dr. Means is best known for her advocacy in the health and wellness sector, which aligns with the Trump administration’s pushback against powerful food corporations and the promotion of holistic, preventative care. Both she and her brother appeared on “The Joe Rogan Experience” to discuss their book, “Good Energy,” proposing alternative medicine approaches and linking chronic illness to nutrition. Means has pledged to resign from advisory roles in private wellness companies to avoid conflicts of interest, aiming to reassure skeptics about her independence as Surgeon General.
Political Tensions and Criticism from Trump’s Own Ranks
The highly politicized nature of the Surgeon General’s office is further underscored by the response from former Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams, who served in Trump’s first term but has since become a vocal critic of the administration’s current direction. Adams condemned the decision to proceed with Means’ confirmation during a government shutdown, questioning the prioritization of confirming a nominee who never completed medical training. He took to social media to express disbelief that confirming a “non-completer” for such a crucial role is a Senate priority while other pressing issues remain unresolved.
Looking Ahead: Implications for the Future of Public Health Leadership
If confirmed, Dr. Means would inherit a Surgeon General’s office still reeling from years of politicization and mission drift. However, the contentious confirmation process highlights unresolved tensions about the qualifications and independence required to lead America’s public health efforts. As the Senate prepares to deliberate, the outcome will signal whether the administration’s vision for health care can withstand both internal and external scrutiny—and whether the office will champion true constitutional and conservative principles moving forward.
Sources:
Senate Health Committee Press Release: Hearing on Trump’s Surgeon General Nominee
Senate Confirmation-Scarred Trump Nominees Find Other Homes in the Administration
Calley Means, John Oliver, and the HHS
The Joe Rogan Experience
