Trump's Surgeon General Nominee to Sell Family Tobacco and Tech Assets

Casey Means and the Ethics of Her Surgeon General Nomination

President Donald Trump’s nomination of Casey Means for the position of U.S. Surgeon General has been a topic of discussion for several months, yet the role remains unfilled. As a Stanford University-trained physician and wellness influencer, Means has built a career around functional medicine and health advocacy. Now, she is taking steps to address potential conflicts of interest that could arise from her personal financial holdings.

In an ethics agreement released on September 13, Means outlined measures to ensure her work as Surgeon General remains free from any perceived or actual bias. One key step involves divesting family assets that include shares in major technology and tobacco companies. These include investments in Philip Morris International Inc., Altria Group Inc., Baidu Inc., and Chevron Corp. According to a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, these shares were acquired by her husband prior to their marriage and are part of a diversified portfolio managed by an independent financial adviser. The spokesperson also noted that Means acknowledged the ethical implications of her spouse’s investments, as they are considered imputed to her.

In addition to divesting from these holdings, Means plans to sell her equity in several health startups. She will resign from her advisory role at Levels Health Inc., a company she co-founded that specializes in glucose monitoring technology. She will also divest from True Medicine Inc., which her brother Calley Means co-founded, and Function Health Inc., a testing company. These steps reflect her commitment to maintaining professional integrity if confirmed as Surgeon General.

Despite her involvement in the health tech sector, Means has never owned individual publicly traded stocks. Instead, she holds equity in three closely held companies, according to a source familiar with the matter. Her financial disclosures also reveal income from corporate sponsorships and partnerships, including collaborations with Amazon.com Inc. and various smaller wellness-focused businesses.

Over the past 18 months, Means has earned at least $1.2 million in employment income, with royalties from her book Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health ranging between $100,000 and $1 million. While her nomination has not yet been acted upon by the Senate, she is expected to meet with lawmakers in the coming week.

Means and her brother, Calley, have become prominent figures in health policy, advising the White House and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. They have played a central role in promoting the “Make America Healthy Again” movement, which focuses on addressing the root causes of chronic disease. During a notable appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience in October 2024, Calley Means criticized the influence of tobacco companies on food production, suggesting that their acquisitions have contributed to the rise in chronic illnesses in the U.S.

Casey and Calley Means have not provided comments for this article, and the affected tobacco companies did not respond to requests for comment outside of regular business hours.

Other family holdings include investments in well-known companies such as Airbnb Inc., Alphabet Inc., Apple Inc., Berkshire Hathaway Inc., Duke Energy Corp., Graco Inc., JPMorgan Chase & Co., and Snap Inc. These details highlight the complexity of Means’ financial interests and the importance of her transparency efforts.

As the debate over her nomination continues, the focus remains on ensuring that her leadership as Surgeon General aligns with the public interest and maintains the highest standards of ethical conduct.