In May 2025, President Donald Trump announced that Dr. Casey Means would be his nominee for the position of Surgeon General. This decision came shortly after he withdrew his earlier choice, former Fox News contributor Dr. Janette Nesheiwat. The announcement was made via Trump’s Truth Social platform, where he praised Means’ credentials as aligning well with his health agenda.
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Dr. Means has made a name for herself as a holistic medicine doctor and wellness influencer. Her vision for American health policy includes a call for leaders who inspire citizens to prioritise their health and fitness. In her writings, she has emphasised the importance of understanding the connection between human health and environmental sustainability. “We cannot go on poisoning the earth without destroying our own health; we are one with nature,” she noted, highlighting her belief in integrated health solutions.
Originally scheduled for a confirmation hearing in October 2025, Means’s appointment process was delayed due to unforeseen personal circumstances. She went into labour just hours before her planned appearance before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee in February 2026, signalling a life event that reshaped her immediate responsibilities.
Dr. Casey Means attended Stanford University, where she graduated with a degree in Human Biology in 2009 and subsequently earned her medical degree. After completing a surgical residency at Oregon Health & Science University, she decided to leave before her final year. In her own words, she cited her dissatisfaction with the healthcare system as a driving factor for this decision, opting instead to focus on preventive health strategies to keep patients out of the operating room.
Following her departure from surgical training, Dr. Means shifted her focus towards genomics, metabolic health and education. By 2020, she had returned to Stanford as a lecturer, teaching courses that encompass the intersections of food, technology, and healthcare. In addition to her academic efforts, she co-founded Levels, a digital health company aimed at providing individuals with insights on how food shapes their health through personalised data.
Her views on public health have included critical perspectives on vaccination. In correspondence with the White House, Means has vocally supported reforms to the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, advocating for increased unbiased research into the cumulative effects of vaccines on children. Means has expressed concern about the rising rates of health issues in children, arguing that the current vaccine schedule requires further investigation, while acknowledging the opposing view that vaccines are predominantly safe based on large-scale public health data.
Dr. Means and her brother, Calley Means, played pivotal roles as advisors in Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s presidential campaign, contributing to the strategy that led to Kennedy’s endorsement of Trump. Both siblings are notable advocates of Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) agenda, which criticises pharmaceutical and food industries as major contributors to the rising incidence of chronic diseases in the United States.
Chronic health conditions such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease are significant concerns for Means, who has highlighted these issues in various media appearances. During an episode of a popular podcast hosted by right-wing commentator Tucker Carlson, she linked these ailments to a “toxic food system” that perpetuates ill health while sustaining pharmaceutical profits. “They make us sick but they don’t kill us, and then we are drugged for life,” she commented, illustrating her perspective on the healthcare system’s flaws.
In addition to her advocacy and public health focus, Dr. Means collaborated with her brother to write a book titled “Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health.” Released in 2024, the book discusses the root causes of various health conditions while promoting strategies for achieving better health at individual and planetary levels.
As Dr. Casey Means approaches her confirmation process, her diverse background in holistic health and metabolic education, alongside her advocacy for systemic reform, positions her as a dynamic figure in the discussion of public health policy. Her nomination has the potential to significantly influence the direction of health initiatives in the United States, aligning with the current administration’s focus on tackling chronic diseases through innovative and preventative approaches.