Trump’s MAHA pick for surgeon general flounders amid GOP doubts

The nomination of Casey Means as surgeon general by President Trump is facing significant hurdles, primarily due to concerns raised by several Republican senators regarding her qualifications and views on vaccines. Reports indicate that Senators Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina) have all expressed reservations about her candidacy, which could jeopardize her path to confirmation. Means has been a prominent figure in the Make America Health Again movement and is closely associated with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., known for his anti-vaccine stance. During a recent confirmation hearing, senators questioned Means about her positions on various vaccines, including those for the flu, measles, and hepatitis B for newborns. However, she avoided directly endorsing these essential immunizations, leading to further skepticism from the senators. Murkowski and Collins both voiced ongoing concerns after the hearing, with Murkowski stating she holds “strong reservations” about Means's nomination, a sentiment that remains unchanged. Cassidy, who chairs the Senate Health Committee and is a proponent of vaccines, repeatedly pressed Means on her immunization views. While he previously supported Kennedy’s nomination under certain assurances, he has not clearly indicated his stance on Means's confirmation, leaving many in the MAHA movement anxious about the outcome. When inquired about the status of Means's nomination, Cassidy simply remarked, “no change.”