Who is Casey Means, MD, Trump’s new surgeon general pick?

President Donald J. Trump has nominated Casey Means, MD, a Stanford-educated physician turned wellness influencer and entrepreneur, to serve as the next U.S. Surgeon General. The announcement comes following the withdrawal of Janette Nesheiwat, MD, whose nomination faced bipartisan scrutiny over her credentials.

“Casey has impeccable ‘MAHA’ credentials, and will work closely with our wonderful Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., to ensure a successful implementation of our Agenda in order to reverse the Chronic Disease Epidemic, and ensure Great Health, in the future, for ALL Americans,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. “Her academic achievements, together with her life’s work, are absolutely outstanding. Dr. Casey Means has the potential to be one of the finest Surgeon Generals in United States History. Congratulations to Casey!”

If confirmed, Means would become "the Nation's Doctor" and a top public health spokesperson. As the Surgeon General, she would oversee the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) Commissioned Corps, a group of more than 6,000 highly-trained public health professionals.

Her nomination reflects a broader ideological shift under Trump’s second term — and a growing alliance between the administration and figures associated with the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) initiative led by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

From surgical training to influencer

Means, 37, graduated from Stanford University School of Medicine and began residency training in otolaryngology and head-and-neck surgery at Oregon Health & Science University. She left before completing her training, disillusioned with what she described as a “sick care” model that prioritized symptom management over root-cause prevention. Her medical license is currently inactive, according to Oregon Medical Board records.

In the years since, Means has built a sizable following as a functional medicine advocate and co-founder of Levels Health, a health tech company that helps users track metabolic health through continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and a companion app.

She rose to national prominence in 2024 after co-authoring New York Times bestseller, “Good Energy,” with her brother, Calley Means — an entrepreneur and White House advisor to Secretary Kennedy. Calley is also co-founder of Truemed, a startup that helps consumers use health savings and flexible spending accounts to purchase wellness products like gym memberships and supplements.

“American health is getting destroyed”

Means has used her platform to push for sweeping changes in food, medicine and environmental policy. At a 2024 Senate roundtable, she warned, “American health is getting destroyed. If the current trends continue, if the graphs continue in the way that they’re going, at best we’re going to face profound societal instability and decreased American competitiveness, and at worst, we’re going to be looking at a genocidal-level health collapse.”

In the 35th issue of her weekly newsletter, which she re-released on her personal website on May 7, she outlined her “health wishlist” — a 15-point agenda calling for the removal of processed foods from schools, the banning of endocrine-disrupting chemicals, the elimination of direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising, and labeling of ultra-processed foods with disease warnings. Means also proposed expanding functional medicine training in medical schools and shifting health care spending toward prevention.

Vaccine skepticism and controversial claims

Means has publicly questioned the safety of childhood vaccines — drawing concerns from public health experts and child health advocates. In her newsletter, she wrote, “There is growing evidence that the total burden of the current extreme and growing vaccine schedule is causing health declines in vulnerable children.”

In her wishlist, she calls for the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986 to be reformed, and for increased research on the “safety of the cumulative effects of vaccines on the CDC vaccine schedule.”

During her podcast interview with Joe Rogan, she said, “I bet that one vaccine probably isn’t causing autism, but what about the 20 that they are getting before 18 months?”

Means has not explicitly called for ending vaccine use, but her calls for expanded research and liability reform, in addition to her alignment with Kennedy — an outspoken vaccine critic — have raised further concern.

Means has also spoken against in vitro fertilization (IVF) and birth control, calling the latter a “disrespect of life.” She has tied falling fertility rates to environmental toxins, pesticides and lifestyle factors. In a 2024 interview with Tucker Carlson, she and her brother condemned raw milk bans, arguing they restricted consumer freedom.

She has also promoted the use of, what she calls “divine gifts of intuition and heart intelligence,” over “blindly trusting the science.”

Regardless, Means has gained traction within Trump’s political base and among alternative health circles. She sits at 730,000 followers on Instagram as of May 8.

Means’ nomination will now move to the Senate, where it is likely to face stiff opposition from Democrats. Lawmakers are expected to focus on her vaccine views, lack of clinical experience and her criticism of foundational public health policies.

Still, for a Trump administration aiming to overhaul the federal health bureaucracy, Means represents a clear philosophical fit.

“Regardless of who gets elected,” she wrote in her newsletter last fall, “we need to move toward a healthy American population.”