Donald Trump announced Dr. Janette Nesheiwat as his choice for U.S. Surgeon General on Friday, part of a series of nominations that included Scott Bessent for Treasury Secretary, Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer for Labor Secretary, Russ Vought for Office and Budget Management, Scott Turner for Housing and Urban Development, Marty Makary for FDA commissioner, and Dave Weldon for CDC director.
“Dr. Nesheiwat is a fierce advocate and strong communicator for preventive medicine and public health,” Trump stated in his announcement. “She is committed to ensuring that Americans have access to affordable, quality healthcare, and believes in empowering individuals to take charge of their health to live longer, healthier lives.”
Professional Background and Experience
Dr. Nesheiwat serves as Medical Director at City MD, overseeing urgent care centers across New York and New Jersey. Previously, she worked as a physician at Washington Regional Medical Center and Northwest Medical Hospital. Her emergency medicine background includes disaster response work with Hurricane Katrina victims and the aftermath of the Joplin tornado. Through the Samaritan’s Purse Disaster Assistance Relief Team, she provided medical care in Morocco, Haiti, and Poland.
According to Trump’s statement, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Nesheiwat “worked on the front lines in New York City treating thousands of Americans and helped patients in the aftermath of President Donald Trump’s Historic Operation Warp Speed.” She graduated from the University of South Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Biology, completed her medical residency at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, and conducted ER rotations at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Policy Positions and Potential Controversies
Dr. Nesheiwat’s position on vaccines acknowledges their benefits while expressing concerns about certain CDC guidelines, particularly regarding COVID-19 vaccines for young people. She has stated that for many Americans, especially young people, the vaccine’s risks would outweigh the benefits, while noting the risk is small for the majority of patients. She has also questioned the American Academy of Pediatrics standards of care for youth with gender dysphoria.
Political Context and Administrative Dynamics
According to the source materials, Dr. Nesheiwat’s sister Julia served in the previous Trump administration as Homeland Security adviser.
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Fox News Connection and Public Communication
Until her nomination, Dr. Nesheiwat served as a Fox News medical contributor, with a Fox News spokesperson confirming her departure effective Friday. Her media experience includes hosting “Family Health Today” and “Health Minute with Dr. Janette” on NBC affiliate KNWA-TV in Northwest Arkansas.
Personal Background
According to Trump’s statement, Dr. Nesheiwat was inspired by her widowed immigrant mother’s “resilience and compassion” to pursue a “life of service, transforming her deep-seated desire to help others into a distinguished medical career.” She authored “Beyond the Stethoscope: Miracles in Medicine,” which her publisher describes as offering stories of medical recoveries, ER experiences, and global medical missions.
Historical Perspective
The Surgeon General’s role gained prominence in 1965 with mandatory cigarette warning labels. The position’s influence on public health discourse was exemplified by C. Everett Koop’s work on AIDS awareness during the Reagan administration, despite initial White House reluctance to address the epidemic.
Senate Confirmation Outlook
As specified in the source material, Dr. Nesheiwat’s appointment will require Senate confirmation. Her emergency medicine experience and disaster relief work provide her qualifications, while her media presence demonstrates her public communication capabilities in the role of Surgeon General.
The nomination reflects an approach to healthcare emphasizing individual choice and a questioning of government mandates. As the previous Surgeons General demonstrated, the influence extends beyond specific policy positions to shaping national health conversations.
