Trump Withdraws Controversial Surgeon General Nominee, Names New Pick
President Donald Trump has announced the withdrawal of his controversial nominee for US Surgeon General, Casey Means, following her failure to secure sufficient support for confirmation in the Senate. The former president revealed on his social media platform, Truth Social, that Means’ nomination had been pulled and that he would instead put forward Nicole Saphier, a cancer radiologist and Fox News contributor.
Reasons Behind the Withdrawal
Means, a health influencer who does not hold an active medical license, had faced significant criticism from several senators. Concerns primarily revolved around her views on health, particularly regarding vaccines. During her confirmation hearing in February, Means notably declined to state whether infants should receive vaccines and questioned established scientific consensus on whether vaccines cause autism, despite also affirming that “vaccines save lives.” Her stance on medical decision-making autonomy throughout the hearing, coupled with her perceived alignment with Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. (whose vaccine views have also drawn scrutiny), contributed to the stalled nomination.
Trump Blames Senator Cassidy
In his social media posts, Trump directly blamed Louisiana Republican Senator Bill Cassidy, a trained physician, for obstructing Means’ nomination. Trump accused Senator Cassidy of “intransigence and political games” and called for Louisiana voters to remove him from office. Means’ nomination had not progressed since her Senate hearing earlier this year.
Introducing Nicole Saphier, Trump’s Third Choice
Trump lauded his new selection, Dr. Nicole Saphier, as a “STAR physician” and an “INCREDIBLE COMMUNICATOR.” He highlighted her career dedicated to guiding women through breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, advocating for early cancer detection and prevention, and assisting patients with various other cancer diagnoses. Trump emphasized Saphier’s ability to make “complicated health issues more easily understood by all Americans.”
Dr. Saphier, a radiologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Monmouth, is the author of the 2020 book “Make America Healthy Again: How Bad Behavior and Big Government Caused a Trillion-Dollar Crisis” and hosts the podcast “Wellness Unmasked.”
Previous Nominations
Saphier marks Trump’s third attempt to fill the leadership role of the 6,000-employee US Public Health Service. His initial choice, Janette Nesheiwat, a doctor and former Fox News contributor, also faced challenges, including criticism from one of Trump’s advisers regarding her Covid-19 views and questions about her credentials.
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