Trump Nominates Wellness Influencer Casey Means for Surgeon General Role

resident Donald Trump has tapped Dr. Casey Means, a wellness influencer with ties to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.), as his pick for the next U.S. Surgeon General. The nomination raises eyebrows because of her unconventional medical background. 

Means earned her MD from Stanford, but she left her surgical residency early. Some critics note she currently holds an inactive medical license.  After exiting mainstream medicine, she became an advocate for functional and metabolic health, building a large online following through wellness content. 

Her close association with the “MAHA (Make America Healthy Again)” movement—led by RFK Jr.—makes her selection a strong signal about the administration’s health policy direction.  Some medical professionals worry that Means’ views on alternative medicine, diet, and personalized health may conflict with evidence-based public health standards. 

As the Senate considers her confirmation, the debate will likely focus on how she plans to balance wellness advocacy with the responsibilities of a national health office.