Casey Means' surgeon general confirmation hearing begins

Nominee faces questions on qualifications, business ties and controversial views

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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Dr. Casey Means, President Donald Trump's nominee for U.S. surgeon general, is set to testify before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Wednesday. Means, who has never completed a medical residency and does not hold an active medical license, faces scrutiny over her qualifications and business ties, as well as her controversial views on issues like childhood vaccines and the food supply.

Why it matters

The surgeon general is considered the nation's top doctor, leading over 6,000 members of the U.S. Public Health Service. Means' nomination has raised concerns among some medical experts about her lack of traditional medical experience and her alignment with the health views of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., which include vaccine skepticism and a focus on organic, 'regenerative' agriculture.

The details

Means was originally scheduled to testify in October 2025 but the hearing was postponed after she went into labor. If confirmed, she would become the first surgeon general without a medical residency or active license. Senators are expected to question Means on her qualifications, as well as her business ties, including her role as an adviser for a wellness company and her work as an influencer promoting supplements.

  • Means' confirmation hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, February 26, 2026.
  • The hearing was originally scheduled for October 2025 but was postponed after Means went into labor.

The players

Casey Means

President Donald Trump's nominee for U.S. surgeon general. Means graduated from Stanford School of Medicine in 2014 but dropped out in her fifth year and has never completed a medical residency or held an active medical license.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Secretary of Health and Human Services, whose views on issues like chronic disease, the food supply, and vaccine skepticism largely mirror those of Means.

Richard Besser

Former acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who has expressed concerns about Means' qualifications and views.

Calley Means

Casey Means' brother, who serves as a senior adviser at the Department of Health and Human Services and has worked closely with Kennedy.

Jay Bhattacharya

Acting director of the CDC and head of the National Institutes of Health, who has expressed support for Casey Means' nomination.

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What they’re saying

“Typically, the surgeon general has been viewed as the nation's top doctor or America's doctor, but Dr. Means has never practiced medicine, and so that is unusual. The part that's not unusual is that the surgeon general's impact is largely through influence. Dr. Means is skilled in this regard, when it comes to influence.”

— Richard Besser, Former acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (ABC News)

“If she were to use the platform to truly work towards improving the school lunch program in America, that would be that would be terrific, because the Secretary talks a lot about nutrition, the importance of eating healthy food. But if people can't afford it, telling people to eat healthy food doesn't lead to a healthier nation. and one of the ways that we could see big impact in that regard would be if the school lunch program were funded to the extent that every school could have a kitchen, and the people working in that kitchen could actually prepare real food, rather than handing out packaged food.”

— Richard Besser, Former acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (ABC News)

“I will be very eager to see whether the members of the health committee use this time to lift up concerns and to get Dr. Means' perspective on the changes the Secretary has made to the vaccine system in America. I'll be interested to see if they ask Dr Means about her perspective on the changes that have taken place at CDC and the impact that these could have on health so that it's clear coming in where she stands on the draconian cuts that the Secretary has made to our federal public health health system.”

— Richard Besser, Former acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (ABC News)

What’s next

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The takeaway

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