Donald Trump Picks TikToker Holistic Doctor for US Surgeon General Role

In a last-minute twist, it seems Donald Trump has changed his choice for the next US Surgeon General. Although Janet NeseGewart was previously favored for the position, the chosen candidate is now influencer and holistic medicine advocate, Dr. Casey Means. ‘Dr. Casey Means will be named Surgeon General,’ Trump wrote on Truth Social, clarifying that his initial pick, Dr. Janet NeseGewart, who gained fame during the COVID-19 pandemic, will take another post in the Health Department. This change, made just a day before NeseGewart was scheduled to appear before a Senate committee for confirmation, raises questions about possible intervention from far-right influencer Laura Loomer. Loomer had drawn public attention earlier in April when she demanded the dismissal of the head of the American intelligence service. ‘We really need a new candidate for the Surgeon General position,’ Loomer wrote on X (formerly Twitter), accusing NeseGewart of being ‘pro-vaccines’ and not ideologically aligned with Trump or his administration’s health initiatives. The US Surgeon General, appointed by the president, is responsible for public health issues, though their powers are limited. Trump’s new choice, Dr. Casey Means, abandoned her surgical specialty due to disappointment with traditional medicine. She founded a tech company focused on health and earns money from promoting dietary supplements, creams, teas, and other products via her social media accounts.