Trump Withdraws Casey Means as Surgeon General Nominee, Picks Nicole Saphier
On April 30, 2026, President Trump pulled his nomination of Dr. Casey Means for Surgeon General and announced radiologist Dr. Nicole Saphier as his third pick for the role. Means' nomination had stalled since her late February confirmation hearing before the Senate HELP Committee, chaired by Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), who pressed her on vaccine policy and her lack of an active medical license. Means, a Stanford-trained physician-turned-wellness entrepreneur who did not complete her surgical residency, had become a symbol of the MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) movement championed by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins had also signaled reservations. Trump announced the change on Truth Social, blaming Cassidy for blocking Means through "intransigence and political games." Saphier, a Fox News medical contributor and Memorial Sloan Kettering radiologist, had herself previously questioned whether Means — who hadn't finished her residency and lacked an active license — was the right fit for the role. This is Trump's third surgeon general nominee of his second term, following the earlier withdrawal of Dr. Janette Nesheiwat.
“Dr. Means was asked direct questions about vaccines that she could not answer. The Surgeon General must have the full confidence of the American people on matters of public health. I look forward to meeting with Dr. Saphier.”