(NewsNation) — President Donald Trump has nominated Dr. Casey Means, a physician and wellness influencer with close ties to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to be the next U.S. surgeon general.
Means, a Stanford medical school graduate, previously worked as an adviser to Kennedy’s 2024 presidential campaign alongside her brother, Calley Means — a former pharmaceutical consultant, White House adviser and vocal proponent of the “Make America Healthy Again” agenda.
Casey Means is the co-founder of Levels, a health technology company that tracks health information through devices like continuous glucose monitors. She is also an advocate for holistic medicine.
Trump announced Means’ nomination on social media and said she has “impeccable MAHA credentials,” and that she will work to eradicate chronic disease and improve the health of Americans.
Means’ nomination has been met with opposition from some of Trump’s biggest supporters.
Influencer Laura Loomer wrote on social media, “Maybe Marco Rubio can be Surgeon General and save us from this WOO WOO WOMAN,” along with a screenshot of a blog post from Means about her spiritual practices.
Loomer questioned Means’ fitness for the role in another post, pointing to her inactive medical license in the state of Oregon.
Nicole Shanahan, who served as Kennedy’s running mate in his presidential campaign, also criticized Trump’s decision. She said she was promised that Means and her brother would not be chosen over someone more qualified to work for Health and Human Services.
Some, however, have welcomed the nomination.
Sen. Rand Paul, R-K.Y., said he was “very pleased” with Trump’s choice.
Jillian Michaels, who is a friend of Means, said she was “beaming ear to ear” over her nomination.
Kennedy also supported Means’ nomination and said she was “born to hold this job.”
Trump previously pulled his nomination of Fox News medical contributor Janette Nesheiwat after her credentials came into question. A Senate committee was scheduled to hold a hearing on Nesheiwat’s nomination Thursday.