Critics let rip on President Donald Trump after he admitted to a reporter on Thursday that he doesn’t even know the person he has nominated to become America’s top doctor.
Trump was asked why he wanted physician-turned-anti-vaccine wellness influencer Dr. Casey Means as U.S. Surgeon General, given that she’s not practicing medicine and didn’t finish her residency.
“Because Bobby thought she was fantastic,” the president replied, referring to Means’ fellow anti-vaxxer with whom she has close ties, the Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
“She’s highly … she’s a brilliant woman who went through Stanford and as I understand it, she basically wanted to be an academic as opposed to a surgeon,” Trump continued of Means.
REPORTER: You just announced a new nominee for US Surgeon General who never finished her residency, and is not a practicing physician. So can you explain why you picked her to be America's top doctor?
TRUMP: Because Bobby thought she was fantastic ... I don't know her pic.twitter.com/ZYjtiPk4sH
Trump reiterated that Kennedy “really thought she was great.”
But he confessed: “I don’t know her. I listened to the recommendation of Bobby. I met her yesterday and once before. She’s a very outstanding person, a great academic actually, so I think she will be great.”
Social media users slammed Trump over the admission:
Imagine applying for Surgeon General and your biggest qualification is “Bobby said you’re great.” This is how you run a game show, not a government.
— Tetїana 🇺🇦 (@TPSpindel) May 8, 2025Every answer to everything this week as been "I don't know."
He's not running anything. So who is?
“I don’t know her” Trump raises “know nothing” to a whole new level. We need media to focus on his repeated answer …. “ I don’t know” to every question about actions his presidential admin is taking. https://t.co/VA7decY5rw
— Rita Burke 🇺🇦🇨🇦Gulf of Mexico (@flaxponder) May 9, 2025Because RFK Jr's Brain Worm told him that🧠🪱
— @MobiusDick (@MobiusDick) May 8, 2025Well, at least he's honest. I respect the I have no idea what I'm doing energy.
— Gaas-cmb.nft (@GaasCmb) May 8, 2025How can the Surgeon General not be a doctor? Why would he pick someone to be America's top doctor who is not a doctor? Donald Trump, 78, is an age group where the mean WAIS-IV IQ is 79.
— Laurence (Larry) Boorstein (@LarryBoorstein) May 8, 2025We Won't Back Down
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