Trump Nominates Dr. Nicole Saphier for US Surgeon General After Withdrawing Casey Means
President Donald Trump has announced a new nominee for U.S. Surgeon general, selecting Dr. Nicole Saphier to lead the nation’s public health efforts. The move follows the president’s decision to withdraw the nomination of Dr. Casey Means, whose confirmation process had stalled in the Senate for several months.
- New Nominee: Dr. Nicole Saphier, a radiologist and Fox News contributor.
- Withdrawn Nominee: Dr. Casey Means, who faced a bruising confirmation hearing in February.
- The “MAHA” Link: Saphier authored the 2020 book Produce America Healthy Again, which serves as the slogan for Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s agenda.
- Political Friction: President Trump attributed the failure of Means’ nomination to “political games” played by Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana.
Who is Dr. Nicole Saphier?
Dr. Nicole Saphier is a radiologist and the director of breast imaging at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in Monmouth County, New Jersey. Beyond her clinical function, she has served as a member of a CDC advisory committee and is a longtime medical contributor for Fox News.
President Trump praised Saphier on Truth Social, describing her as a “STAR physician” who has spent her career helping women navigate breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. He further highlighted her ability to communicate, stating, “She is also an INCREDIBLE COMMUNICATOR, who makes complicated health issues more easily understood by all Americans.”
Intellectual Alignment with the “MAHA” Movement
Saphier’s views align closely with the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) movement spearheaded by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. In 2020, she wrote Make America Healthy Again: How Bad Behavior and Big Government Caused a Trillion-Dollar Crisis, a book that explores preventing chronic diseases through lifestyle adjustments, including diet and exercise.
Saphier also authored a 2021 book titled Panic Attack, which criticizes school closures and shutdowns during the pandemic. These views mirror those of other top health officials, including Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, the head of the National Institutes of Health and acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Withdrawal of Dr. Casey Means
The nomination of Dr. Casey Means effectively ended after a contentious confirmation hearing on February 25. During the proceedings, senators from both political parties questioned Means on her stance regarding vaccines and her decision to leave her surgical residency.
While Means had the backing of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., she failed to secure the unanimous Republican committee support necessary to advance. Republican senators Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins reportedly left the hearing with unresolved concerns.
Trump Blames Senate “Intransigence”
President Trump did not mince words regarding the failure of the Means nomination, specifically targeting Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana. In a Truth Social post, Trump claimed that “despite Senator Cassidy’s intransigence and political games,” Means would continue to fight for the MAHA movement’s goals.
What’s Next for the US Surgeon General’s Office?
If confirmed by the Senate, Dr. Saphier will become the nation’s top doctor, granting her the authority to issue official health advisories to the American public. Saphier is the third person President Trump has nominated for the position.
The Senate will now determine if Saphier can avoid the pitfalls that stalled Dr. Means, specifically regarding her public record and alignment with the administration’s broader health agenda. For now, the focus remains on whether her background as a communicator and her alignment with the MAHA movement will facilitate a smoother confirmation process.