Trump‘s Surgeon General Nominee, Dr. Casey Means, to Face Senate Confirmation Hearing
WASHINGTON – Dr. Casey Means, President Donald Trump’s nominee for Surgeon General, is scheduled to appear before the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP) Committee on October 30 for a virtual confirmation hearing, five months after her initial nomination in May. Means, 38, will testify remotely from Kilauea, Hawaii, where she is currently located while pregnant.
If approved by the committee,Means will than face a confirmation vote before the full Senate.Her nomination followed the withdrawal of Janette Nesheiwat’s candidacy after questions were raised regarding her qualifications.
Trump highlighted Means’ “impeccable” credentials and her work as an advocate for the “Make America Healthy Again” movement spearheaded by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Means is also a proponent of wearable health technology and co-founded Levels, a health tech company focused on tracking individual health data. Kennedy shares this interest, aiming to facilitate access to wearable health trackers for all U.S. citizens within four years. Notably, Means is the sister of Kennedy advisor Calley Means.
Means’ medical background includes training at Stanford University, though she left her residency program citing disillusionment with the financial incentives within surgical care. She has since become a vocal advocate for wellness, emphasizing the role of diet and nutrition in preventing chronic illness, stating that diet is often the “root cause” of such conditions.
The confirmation hearing was delayed due to a recent submission of financial and ethics records by Means. These disclosures reveal notable income generated thru her health advocacy, including approximately $116,000 from newsletter sponsorships over an 18-month period.Swiss firm Amazentis contributed $79,000 in newsletter funding and an additional $55,000 to cover her book tour expenses. She also reported earning between $100,000 and $1 million from sales of her book, “Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health.”
However, Means’ financial ties to companies selling dietary supplements and meal delivery services, alongside her advocacy, have drawn criticism, with some questioning the scientific basis of her claims and raising concerns about potential harm.
