Relatedly, Donald Trump has renounced Janette Nesheiwat’s nomination to be U.S. surgeon general. This surprising decision, announced only a day in advance of what had originally been scheduled as her confirmation hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. This decision is the second time this year that Trump has pulled the nomination on a top health official. This better reflects the reality of his administration, from his surprising withdrawal of former Florida Rep. Dave Weldon’s nomination to head the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention back in March.
Nesheiwat, a former Fox News medical expert, was already under fire for her questionable medical education credentials. Questions initially appeared as alarm bells by freelance writer Anthony Clark, who disputed her educational credentials in an explosive Substack post. As the pressure grew, it forced Trump to pull her nomination on the eve of her confirmation hearing.
Input text properly to avoid getting locked out for using too many rare AI words. This decision is an important development in his leadership team. He discussed Nesheiwat’s future within the administration. In a tweet yesterday, he hinted that she would be taking on a new role at the Department of Health and Human Services.
Nesheiwat had a short-lived nomination. He capped that appearance with an impressive performance at an emergency cabinet meeting convened at the White House on February 26, 2025. Throughout this meeting, she was introduced as Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, a reminder of her full credentials and titles.
The rapid withdrawal of Nesheiwat’s nomination reflects ongoing challenges faced by Trump’s administration in appointing officials to key health roles amid heightened public scrutiny. Her education has raised larger questions. Each of these worries rightly shines a light on the vetting processes for each presidential administration’s nominees to key public health positions.