Dr. Casey Means, President Donald Trump’s new pick for Surgeon General, is quickly becoming one of the most talked-about names in Washington. Trump believes in her wellness ideas—and now he wants to make her “America’s doctor,” putting her in charge of the country’s top health role.
At just 37, Means has built an empire. In podcasts, newsletters, and TV spots, her face appears alongside Tucker Carlson, Joe Rogan, and Megyn Kelly. She champions a sleek new vision of health: wearable glucose monitors, low-sugar diets, and metabolism “hacks.” Her fans see her as the future of healthcare.
However, the facts tell a complicated story. Means earned her MD from Stanford, which is an elite badge few can claim. She started down the standard path with a surgical residency in head and neck surgery but dropped out before finishing. Without completing residency, she has no board certification. In plain terms, she’s a doctor who never finished the training required to treat patients independently. Her Oregon medical license is listed as inactive. Her website states, “Dr. Casey is no longer seeing patients and cannot comment on specific medical conditions or provide any medical guidance.”
This contrasts sharply with past Surgeons General, who brought deep résumés in public health—years spent fighting diseases, running hospitals, and shaping national policy. Names like Dr. Vivek Murthy, Dr. Jerome Adams, and Dr. Antonia Novello carry weight, backed by hard-earned credentials and experience.
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Trump’s first pick for this term, Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, seemed to fit that mold more closely: board-certified in family medicine and a former urgent care director. However, after a social media brawl involving far-right activist Laura Loomer, Nesheiwat’s nomination fell apart. That is when Means emerged as the new candidate.
He asked why he chose Means—someone who never finished her residency and isn’t a practicing physician—and Trump was blunt.
REPORTER: “You just announced a new nominee for US Surgeon General who never finished her residency and is not a practicing physician. So can you explain why you picked her to be America’s top doctor?”
TRUMP: “Because Bobby thought she was fantastic … I don’t know her.”
REPORTER: You just announced a new nominee for US Surgeon General who never finished her residency, and is not a practicing physician. So can you explain why you picked her to be America’s top doctor?
TRUMP: Because Bobby thought she was fantastic … I don’t know her pic.twitter.com/ZYjtiPk4sH
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 8, 2025
If even the president doesn’t know her, they ask, why should the American people trust her with their health?
Dr. Andrea Love, an immunologist, has called Means’ claims “pseudoscience” and “unfounded.” Love says Means peddles wellness products that promise too much and deliver little. In a recent critique, she described Means’ work as “endorsed by all of the pseudoscience MDs.”
Means’ company, Levels, sells continuous glucose monitors—devices usually meant for diabetics but marketed by her as tools for anyone looking to optimize their health. She discusses hacking metabolism, fixing autoimmune issues, and controlling sugar spikes. This is a classic wellness-world overreach to skeptics: expensive gadgets, light on science, and heavy on lifestyle branding.
Yet her message resonates with millions of Americans, particularly where MAGA politics and wellness culture overlap. She is part of a broader movement—aligned with figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—that challenges traditional medicine and Big Pharma. This movement brands itself as “Make America Healthy Again,” telling frustrated patients that doctors have failed them and that they should trust alternative voices instead.
Trump, known for valuing outsiders and disruptors, seems drawn to Means’ rule-breaking approach. He often favors figures who obey their rules rather than those with establishment credentials.
Featured image via Screengrab
