Trump’s surgeon general nominee is running the wellness grifter playbook perfectly

March 6, 2026 Victoria Song

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Dr. Casey Means at her senate confirmation hearing for surgeon general. — Means uses a common wellness influencer playbook that uses selective science to discredit institutions. | Getty Images

This is Optimizer, a weekly newsletter sent every Friday from Verge senior reviewer Victoria Song that dissects and discusses the latest gizmos and potions that swear they're going to change your life. We'll be taking a break next week and will back March 20th. Opt in for Optimizer here.

On the surface, the wellness to MAHA pipeline can appear baffling. How does one get from wanting to be healthy to eschewing vaccines, drinking raw milk, and opting for beef tallow over sunscreen? The simple answer would be: widespread misinformation on online platforms, particularly from influencers.

I'd argue the real answer is slightly more nuanced - and …

Read the full story at The Verge.

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Trump’s surgeon general nominee is running the wellness grifter playbook perfectly

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