Trump Appoints New Surgeon General Nominee

President Donald Trump mentioned Thursday that he wasn’t familiar with the new candidate for the U.S. surgeon general position. He said he relied on recommendations from Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

This week, Trump withdrew his earlier selection of Janet Neshwat for the role and instead appointed Dr. Casey Means. In the announcement of her appointment, she expressed that she had “the perfect ‘Maha’ qualification.”

When asked during the press conference about his decision to choose Means, Trump stated that Kennedy had recommended her. “Bobby thought she was wonderful, an amazing woman who had gone through Stanford. She wanted to be academic instead of a doctor,” he explained.

“I don’t know her; I heard about her from Bobby,” Trump added. “I think she’s great.”

In the meantime, Casey Means has gained recognition as a wellness influencer, collaborating with her brother, Carrie Means. They co-authored a book titled “Good Energy,” focusing on the chronic disease epidemic. Casey is also a co-founder of a health technology company named Levels.

Previously, the administration appointed Carrie as Kennedy’s special advisor. It’s still unclear why Neshwat’s appointment was rescinded. The White House hasn’t provided further details on that matter.

In a follow-up post on social media, Neshwat expressed her eagerness to support Trump while working closely with Kennedy in a senior policy position. “My focus remains on improving the health and well-being of all Americans, and that mission hasn’t changed,” she concluded.

Neshwat happens to be related to former national security advisor Michael Waltz, and there are indications that the president plans to appoint him as the next ambassador to the United Nations after retracting his initial nominee, New York GOP representative Elise Stefanik.