Calley Means resigns from Trump administration as RFK, Jr. adviser

Calley Means, a senior adviser to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., announced on X that he is resigning from the Trump administration, saying he leaves “with tremendous respect for President Trump and Bobby Kennedy.” The post, made on Tuesday, marks the end of a brief but high‑profile stint in a government that has been courting the anti‑establishment health movement.

Means rose to prominence as a leading figure in the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) coalition, which has pushed for changes to federal dietary guidelines, advocated psychedelic‑based treatments, and succeeded in removing soda from SNAP benefits. The group’s agenda aligns with a broader push by Trump allies to challenge what they call “dark forces in DC” that profit from illness. Means’ appointment was part of a wider strategy to bring fringe health ideas into the mainstream of policy.

Critics have long questioned Means’ qualifications and his public health positions. He has no formal medical training and previously ran the telehealth firm Truemed, which helps users spend health‑savings accounts on supplements and fitness gear. His advocacy for raw milk, opposition to water fluoridation, and labeling of COVID‑19 vaccine mandates for children as a “war crime” have drawn sharp rebuke from doctors and scientists. Means also played a key role in linking Kennedy with Trump before the 2024 election, a move that helped Kennedy secure the HHS post after dropping out of the race. Meanwhile, his sister Casey, a wellness influencer and former physician, had her nomination for surgeon‑general withdrawn in April amid concerns over her stances on vaccines and abortion pills.

The resignation leaves the HHS office without a senior adviser who could have steered policy toward the MAHA agenda. Officials at the department have not yet commented on the departure or on who will replace Means. Observers say the exit underscores the tension between unconventional health advocates and established medical expertise within the administration. How the White House reshapes its health‑policy team could influence future reforms on nutrition, mental‑health treatments, and the role of alternative medicine in federal programs.