• Posted March 31, 2026

Former U.S. Surgeon General Challenges Trump Nominee

Who speaks for the nation’s health is now at the center of a heated debate in D.C.

Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams is pushing back against President Donald Trump’s nominee for the role, Dr. Casey Means.

Nearly 11 months after her nomination, Means is still waiting for Senate confirmation. Some lawmakers have raised concerns about her views on vaccines, her criticism of the medical system and her experience, or lack thereof.

The U.S. surgeon general serves as a leading voice on public health, helping guide the nation through issues like disease outbreaks.

Adams, who held the job during Trump’s first administration, said his concerns are based on experience, not politics.

“The role of surgeon general has centuries of precedent and requirements, and she doesn’t meet them,” Adams said in an interview with The Washington Post.

He also said that if confirmed, Means would not be appointed as a physician to the Public Health Commissioned Corps, which oversees about 6,000 federal health workers.

“The irony would be the nation’s doctor wouldn’t even be in the corps as a doctor,” Adams said.

Means would instead be appointed through a category reserved for health-service workers.

Means earned her medical degree from Stanford University but left her surgical residency program before finishing.

Her Oregon medical license is currently inactive, which she has said is because she is not seeing patients.

“My professional history has prepared me to meet these very complex times as an innovative, unifying and practical leader focused on reversing chronic disease,” Means wrote in a response to questions from senators that was shared with The Washington Post.

She has built a following through her work in functional medicine, which focuses on lifestyle changes to address chronic illness.

She's also the author of the best-selling book "Good Energy."

But several past surgeon generals have questioned whether she has enough public health experience for the role.

“She doesn’t have the experience, she doesn’t have the background, she doesn’t have the credibility, she has no public health background,” Dr. Richard Carmona, who was surgeon general under former President George W. Bush, told The Post.

Some officials have pressed Means on her vaccine views, which have been a hot political topic in recent years.

During U.S. Senate testimony, she said, “I absolutely am supportive of the measles vaccine, and I do believe vaccines save lives and are an important part of the public health strategy.”

Still, her nomination has been caught up in bigger debates over vaccines tied to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

A White House spokesperson called Means “an inspirational voice for millions of Americans looking to better their lives, well-being and health.”

It’s not clear whether her nomination will move forward. Trump said he is considering “a lot of great candidates” for the role.

An acting surgeon general has filled the role since January 2025, The Post said.

Doctors who have previously held the position have often agreed on public health issues.

“The thing that we answer is, ‘What is the best science to solve this problem or prevent this disease?’ That’s not an issue that’s partisan,” Carmona said.

More information

The National Institutes of Health has more on the surgeon general.

SOURCE: The Washington Post, March 29, 2026