Calley Means resigns as top RFK Jr. adviser from Trump administration
“I am resigning from the White House with tremendous respect for President Trump and RFK — two historic figures who are committed to confronting a corrupt DC bureaucracy that is doing everything possible to protect the status quo,” Calley Means said in a statement to NBC News.
Calley Means, a top adviser to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and a central advocate for the “Make America Healthy Again” movement, has resigned from the Trump administration on October 22, 2026.
I am resigning from the White House with tremendous respect for President Trump and Bobby Kennedy. They laid out a vision of combatting the entrenched, dark forces in DC that profit from Americans getting sick. More policy and cultural change has happened around these goals… pic.twitter.com/8vtSjgbmKx
Resignation Follows Frustrations Over Ultraprocessed Food Definitions and Pesticide Policies
Means joined the White House early last year as a special government employee before transitioning to a full-time senior adviser role at the Health and Human Services Department after divesting from his wellness company, Truemed. According to a person familiar with the decision, Means grew increasingly frustrated by the slow pace of policy changes in Washington. The final catalyst for his departure was the administration’s delay in rolling out a federal definition of ultraprocessed foods, which had been teased by officials in August but never released.
Additional friction arose over executive actions from the White House and the Environmental Protection Agency that conflicted with the MAHA agenda. The Trump administration backed Bayer in a June Supreme Court ruling establishing that the company did not need to warn consumers about cancer risks linked to Roundup, which contains the weed killer glyphosate. The EPA also moved to weaken mercury emissions standards and roll back drinking water limits for specific PFAS chemicals, drawing sharp opposition from MAHA supporters.
Strains Across the Make America Healthy Again Movement
Discontent over stalled food and agricultural reforms has reverberated broadly among Kennedy’s base. Earlier in October, former members of Kennedy’s presidential campaign accused the administration of breaking key promises related to food safety and environmental health. Some dissatisfied supporters threatened to abstain from upcoming voting, while Democrats sought to court these voters in the final days of the campaign cycle.
Health activist Kelly Ryerson, a leader of American Regeneration also known online as Glyphosate Girl, praised Means’ tenure in the administration. News & World Report. Zen Honeycutt, founder of Moms Across America, added that Means brought energy and fearlessness to Capitol Hill in advocating for healthy school food.
Defending Policy Achievements During Two Years in Office
In his resignation statements posted to X and provided to news outlets, Means pointed to several policy wins achieved during his tenure. These included restricting soda purchases through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, fast-tracking research into psychedelics, urging food companies to voluntarily phase out specific dyes, and updating federal dietary guidelines to recommend less ultraprocessed food and higher protein intake.
White House spokesperson Allison Schuster acknowledged the departure by stating that the administration is grateful for Means’ time and that he performed a fantastic job for the MAHA movement. Meanwhile, representatives for the Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the transition.