A storm is brewing in Washington as President Donald Trump's nominee for surgeon general, Dr. Casey Means, finds herself at the center of a heated confirmation battle. Her hearing, originally set for Thursday morning, has been delayed due to her being in labor, leaving critical questions about her past business ties hanging in the air.
The postponement, reported by ABC News, comes as Democrats on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions gear up to grill Means on her wellness company connections. Her prominence in the "Make America Healthy Again" movement has only intensified the scrutiny she faces.
Means, who left her surgical residency in Oregon in 2018 just shy of graduation, citing disillusionment with the system, co-founded Levels Health, Inc., and has actively promoted supplements online and on podcasts. While she’s pledged to resign from the company and halt product endorsements if confirmed, skeptics remain unconvinced that her past won’t influence her future decisions.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, though not on the HELP Committee, didn’t hold back in a statement to ABC News, saying, “If Means refuses to recuse herself from government decisions that could help her former clients, how can we be sure that as Surgeon General she will put Americans' health above special interests?” Such pointed criticism reveals a deeper distrust in whether Means can prioritize public good over private gain, especially when the role demands unassailable integrity.
Similarly, Sen. Andy Kim, a freshman on the committee, echoed concerns about transparency, telling ABC News, “I'm worried about that kind of person when it comes to making decisions and talking to the American people about how best to be able to inform the American people how to stay healthy.” When the nation’s top doctor is suspected of divided loyalties, it’s not just a personal failing, it’s a public health risk.
Means, for her part, reportedly grew frustrated during a Monday meeting with Democratic staffers, pointing to former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy’s consulting income during the pandemic as a comparison. Her irritation suggests a belief in unfair targeting, but deflecting to past nominees hardly addresses the core issue of her own financial entanglements.
Accounts of that Monday meeting paint a tense picture, with Sen. Tammy Baldwin’s staff noting Means’ apparent unwillingness to fully engage with questions. Baldwin herself told ABC News she’s troubled by this perceived lack of responsiveness, a red flag for anyone expecting candor from a public health leader.
A source close to Baldwin later expressed to ABC News deep concern that Means might place political agendas and personal interests above scientific consensus. If true, this could undermine trust in an office meant to guide Americans through health crises with clarity and objectivity.
Yet, Emily Hilliard, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services, pushed back against these characterizations, stating to ABC News, “Dr. Means met with committee staff in good faith, while 40 weeks pregnant, and responded fully and professionally to all questions.” Painting the criticism as a misrepresentation, Hilliard insists Means remains committed to open dialogue, not political gamesmanship.
On the Republican side, Sen. Bill Cassidy, chair of the HELP Committee, anticipates a constructive hearing whenever it’s rescheduled, focusing on Trump’s goal of transparency in health institutions. A spokesperson for Cassidy told ABC News the senator is eager to explore how Means will restore public trust, a mission many feel is long overdue.
Sen. Tommy Tuberville also threw his support behind Means, praising her medical insights and suggesting her fresh perspective could tackle systemic health issues like food safety and vaccine concerns. He told ABC News, “We've got a lot of problems with our food and our vaccines and everything out there in terms of our health care is going to hell in a hand basket,” signaling hope for pragmatic, outside-the-box leadership.
Even among Democrats, not all voices are critical, as Sen. John Hickenlooper described a positive meeting with Means, telling ABC News, “We had a very good discussion.” His willingness to reserve judgment until the hearing hints at a sliver of bipartisan curiosity about what Means might bring to the table.
As the confirmation process stretches on, Dr. Casey Means stands as a lightning rod for broader debates about trust in public health leadership. Her wellness background and alignment with Trump’s agenda might resonate with those weary of bureaucratic overreach, yet her financial history risks alienating even moderates who crave impartiality.
The delayed hearing offers a brief reprieve, but the questions won’t vanish, nor should they, when the stakes involve guiding a nation’s health policy. Americans deserve a surgeon general whose advice isn’t shadowed by past profits or perceived agendas, and Means must prove she’s that person.
Until the gavel falls on her rescheduled hearing, the tension will simmer, with both supporters and critics watching closely. In a time when health misinformation spreads faster than truth, the last thing we need is a top doctor whose credibility is in question before she even starts.
