Donald Trump has withdrawn the nomination of Janette Nesheiwat to be the next U.S. surgeon general. He announced this decision only a day before her confirmation hearing set to take place with the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. This year, Trump has pulled back his nomination of a soon-to-be high health official for the second time. In March, he pulled the nomination of former Florida Representative Dave Weldon to head the Centers for Disease Control and prevention.
Nesheiwat, once a medical correspondent for Fox News, came under growing fire for fabricating potential medical education. Freelance writer Anthony Clark made her less-than-credible higher ed claims famous in an exhaustive Substack post. This set off alarm bells for legislators and the public.
Despite this setback, Trump indicated that Nesheiwat would remain within the Department of Health and Human Services “in another capacity.” This clarifying statement means that she is not going to accept the position of surgeon general. Yet her expertise can – and must – serve an equally important role in a different capacity within the department.
That’s why Nesheiwat’s nomination was so important. This was all too clear in the immediate aftermath of her February 26, 2025 White House cabinet meeting. On these issues, she aligned herself with such powerful officials as JD Vance and Chris Wright. Collectively, they addressed the most urgent health challenges confronting our country.
In an unexpected and related twist, Trump hopped on social media this morning to announce … He announced that Dr. Casey Means will be his nominee for a new surgeon general. The abrupt turnover in leadership underscores the difficulty the administration faces. It has failed to fill essential public health roles, particularly as we face an increasing tide of public health challenges.
The decision to withdraw Nesheiwat’s nomination has led to renewed conversation about the vetting process for high-ranking health officials. Insiders and outsiders alike contend that extensive review and vigorous questioning is necessary to help guarantee the best qualified candidates are appointed to these crucial posts.
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