In a significant shift, U.S. President Donald Trump has nominated Dr. Nicole Saphier, a radiologist and Fox News contributor, to serve as the next U.S. Surgeon General. This marks Trump’s third nominee for the position, following the withdrawal of Casey Means’ nomination.
The decision has resulted in a confrontation with Republican Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana. Trump has accused Cassidy of obstructing Means’ nomination and referred to him as “a very disloyal person.” Means, a prominent ally of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., struggled to secure the necessary votes to move her nomination forward in the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, which Cassidy leads.
Critics have pointed out that Means is not a practicing physician and is closely associated with the Make America Healthy Again movement, which has promoted skepticism towards vaccines. In contrast, Dr. Nicole Saphier already holds an active medical license and serves as the director of breast imaging at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. She is also the author of the book Make America Healthy Again: How Bad Behavior and Big Government Caused a Trillion Dollar Crisis.
Trump praised Saphier in a post on Truth Social, highlighting her expertise in guiding women through breast cancer treatment and her efforts to promote early detection and prevention. He also mentioned that Means would continue to champion health issues despite Cassidy’s opposition.
In a separate response, Health Secretary Kennedy praised Means as a vital advocate for his movement. He accused Cassidy of obstructing her nomination for the benefit of established interests.
This nomination represents Trump’s third attempt to fill the Surgeon General post after withdrawing his previous pick, Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, earlier in May. Both of the prior nominations faced significant backlash from far-right activists.
During her confirmation hearing in February, Means faced intense scrutiny from both Democrats and some Republicans regarding her views on public health issues, including vaccines and birth control, as well as potential conflicts of interest. Although she acknowledged the importance of vaccines, she refrained from dismissing debunked claims linking vaccines to autism.
Public health advocates have applauded the withdrawal of Means’ nomination, deeming it a win for public health. Lisa Gilbert, co-president of watchdog group Public Citizen, stated that Means was “unqualified and unfit to be Surgeon General.”
Dr. Nicole Saphier’s extensive qualifications and her commitment to public health issues align more closely with the expectations of the Surgeon General role.
