RFK Jr. sidelined as Trump installs third Surgeon General in two years, this time a critic who mocked his Tylenol warnings
Shift in dynamics.
Donald Trump just named his third Surgeon General in less than two years, and this latest pick is already raising eyebrows, especially among allies of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The new nominee, Dr. Nicole Saphier, has a history of publicly clashing with Kennedy and even mocking some of the administration’s own health warnings, including the controversial stance on Tylenol.
According to Mediaite, sources close to Kennedy said he had little to no input on Saphier’s nomination, and some of his allies are now worried he’s being sidelined within the administration. One unnamed Trump adviser didn’t mince words, calling Kennedy’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement “a little bit overrated” and “a paper tiger.”
The White House, however, is pushing back hard on the idea that Kennedy is being marginalized. Senior Deputy Press Secretary Kush Desai insisted that MAHA has been a “Day One priority” for Trump and that Kennedy remains “a central role” in the administration’s efforts.
Trump’s track record with Surgeon General nominees hasn’t exactly been smooth
He first tapped former Fox News contributor Janette Nesheiwat for the role, only to pull her nomination later. Then came Casey Means, a close Kennedy ally, who lasted nearly a year before being replaced by Saphier last month. That’s three nominees in under two years – a revolving door that’s starting to look less like strategy and more like chaos.
So who is Nicole Saphier, and why is her nomination such a big deal? For starters, she’s a radiologist and former Fox News contributor with a history of speaking her mind, sometimes in ways that directly contradict the administration she’s now poised to join. Before her nomination, Saphier scrubbed her social media accounts of posts that were critical of both Trump and Kennedy, but archived versions of her messages paint a pretty clear picture.
In one deleted post from October 2025, she questioned Trump’s public warnings about Tylenol, writing, “This isn’t the first or second time he has said this. Obviously something was said to POTUS behind closed doors and the public deserves transparency on the data presented to substantiate these statements.”
That same month, she shared a more personal take, admitting she was “angry” about the administration’s Tylenol warnings after her son developed a high fever. “Do data exist showing harm to kids that haven’t been shared with the public or is the Tylenol ‘controversy’ purely hyperbolic and conjecture?” she asked.
Saphier has also taken shots at Trump’s public feud with Elon Musk
She said it was “like watching two billionaires throw sand in a sandbox – petty, loud, & obnoxious.” And in March 2026, she suggested the administration wasn’t being fully transparent about measles cases in the U.S., writing, “Seems like they may not want to admit the U.S. Measles elimination status is gone until after midterm elections.”
But it’s not all criticism. Some of Saphier’s posts show support for Trump and Kennedy’s MAHA movement, though she’s also been vocal about her concerns with Kennedy’s overhaul of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). She argued that new members lacked “diversity of thought and areas of expertise, especially in data interpretation.”
The White House, for its part, is standing by Saphier. Kush Desai called her “an accomplished physician” with a strong track record in radiology and public health advocacy. “She will be a powerful asset for President Trump and work tirelessly to deliver on every facet of his MAHA agenda,” Desai said. But given her history of public pushback against some of that very agenda, it’s hard not to wonder how smoothly that transition will go.
For Kennedy’s allies, this nomination feels like a snub
MAHA was a major part of Trump’s 2024 coalition, and Kennedy has been one of its most visible champions. If he’s being cut out of key decisions, like the Surgeon General pick, it sends a message that his influence might be waning. That’s a big deal, especially when the administration is trying to project unity. The fact that Saphier has openly questioned some of Kennedy’s policies only adds fuel to the fire.
If confirmed, Saphier will step into a role that’s already seen more turnover than a fast-food kitchen. She’ll be tasked with advancing Trump’s MAHA agenda, which includes everything from combating chronic disease to rolling back what the administration sees as overreach in public health mandates. But with her history of skepticism toward some of those very policies, it’s unclear how much of a team player she’ll be.
One thing’s for sure: this isn’t just another cabinet appointment. It’s a sign of shifting dynamics within the administration, and it’s got Kennedy’s allies on edge. If Saphier’s nomination is any indication, the MAHA movement might not be as untouchable as some thought. And with midterms on the horizon, the last thing the administration needs is another public feud, especially one in the health policy arena.
(Featured image: Gage Skidmore)
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