MAGA BACKLASH FOR TRUMP'S TOP HEALTH PICK

Far-right activist says entrepreneur Casey Means a bad fit for surgeon general's job. By Agencies

- By Agencies

US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr defended new surgeon general pick Casey Means on Thursday from attacks from influential far-right activist Laura Loomer, whose critiques of Trump administration officials have preceded their ouster.

President Donald Trump on Wednesday nominated Dr Means, a physician, health entrepreneur, and vocal proponent of Mr Kennedy's "Make America Healthy Again" agenda, after abruptly withdrawing his nomination of Janette Nesheiwat a day before her Senate committee confirmation hearing.

Ms Loomer is a prominent voice within Mr Trump's Make America Great Again movement and has claimed credit for influencing his personnel decisions in the past, including the dismissal of six members of his National Security Council. She called for Dr Nesheiwat's nomination to be withdrawn earlier last week.

On Thursday, Ms Loomer described Dr Means as a "terrible pick by President Trump" and a "MAHA grifter" on social media platform X, saying she was not a practising physician and citing her writings on spiritual practices. She accused Mr Kennedy of appointing "Marxists and Trump haters" as health secretary.