Trump accuses Cassidy of 'political games' after surgeon general nominee switch

President Trump on Thursday accused Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) of playing “political games” that ended his second surgeon general nominee’s confirmation in the Senate, comments that came as Trump was announcing his decision to withdraw her nomination.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump announced he was replacing his nominee for surgeon general, Casey Means, with former Fox News contributor Nicole Saphier. Both he and White House senior adviser Calley Means, who is Casey Means’s brother, blamed Cassidy for the failed confirmation.

“For months, Senator Bill Cassidy (of the GREAT State of Louisiana!), a very disloyal person whose ‘TRUMP’ Endorsement got him elected, but later voted to impeach ‘President Trump’ on what has now proven to be a total Hoax and Scam, has stood in the way of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Nominee, Casey Means, for the important position of U.S. Surgeon General,” Trump wrote.

“I nominated Casey, a strong MAHA Warrior, at the recommendation of Secretary Kennedy, who understands the MAHA Movement better than anyone, with perhaps the possible exception of ME! Nevertheless, despite Senator Cassidy’s intransigence and political games, Casey will continue to fight for MAHA on the many important Health issues facing our Country,” Trump added, writing in a separate post that he hoped Louisiana voters will “be voting Bill Cassidy OUT OF OFFICE in the upcoming Republican Primary.”

On the social platform X, Calley Means accused Cassidy of working to “delay” and “smear” his sister as being anti-vaccine.

“Bill Cassidy will lose his re-election and immediately work for the pharmaceutical industry who funded his political career. He will be remembered as an inconsequential figure who tried to stop the important and disruptive MAHA conversation President Trump and RFK unleashed,” he wrote.

The Hill has reached out to Cassidy’s office for comment.

Cassidy is facing primary challenges from Louisiana Treasurer John Fleming (R) and Rep. Julia Letlow (R-La.), and he is trailing both of them in a recent poll from Emerson College.

During her confirmation hearing before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), which Cassidy chairs, the Louisiana Republican expressed concerns about Casey Means’s views on vaccinations. Other Republicans on the panel, including Sens. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Susan Collins (Maine), had reservations about her views on vaccines and psychedelics.

Cassidy has previously hinted at a sense of exasperation with Trump’s track record on health nominees. When Susan Monarez, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was fired less than a month after her confirmation, Cassidy seemed to suggest her prompt termination was a poor use of Republicans’ support in the Senate.

And with two Trump Cabinet members recently removed from their positions, Senate Republicans may be seeking a stronger nominee who is likely to last longer in office and save them the trouble of going through the confirmation process all over again.

On the social media platform X, HELP Committee Republicans wrote, “We thank Dr. Means for coming before the committee. It’s clear she did not have the votes on committee or on the floor. No committee would hold a vote they knew would fail. We look forward to considering Dr. Saphier’s nomination.”

The U.S. surgeon general has a relatively small role in the grand scheme of federal health policy — not drafting policies, but instead issuing recommendations — and it seems Republicans are comfortable with letting the role go vacant.