Trump taps Fox News anchor Janette Nesheiwat for surgeon general, but his MAGA base isn't on board

Palm Beach, Florida - President-elect Donald Trump has officially nominated Fox News anchor Janette Nesheiwat to serve as the US Surgeon General in his upcoming administration. Now viral resurfaced comments are turning MAGA against her.

On Friday, president-elect Donald Trump (r.) announced that he has nominated Fox News anchor Janette Nesheiwat (l.) to be surgeon general of his administration.
On Friday, president-elect Donald Trump (r.) announced that he has nominated Fox News anchor Janette Nesheiwat (l.) to be surgeon general of his administration.  © Collage: Terry Wyatt / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP & MANDEL NGAN / AFP

On Friday, Trump shared a statement dubbing Nesheiwat "the Nation's Doctor," and praised her for being, "a fierce advocate and strong communicator for preventative medicine and public health."

"She is committed to ensuring that Americans have access to affordable, quality healthcare, and believe in empowering individuals to take charge of their health to live longer, healthier lives," Trump wrote, adding she will "play a pivotal role in making America healthy again!"

Nesheiwat, who has years of experience in the medical field, is the author of Beyond the Stethoscope: Miracles in Medicine, a book that tells stories of "miracles" in the medical world and the transformative power of prayer.

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She is currently a medical news correspondent at Fox News and a medical director for CityMD in New York City.

If appointed surgeon general, she will lead public health officials across the nation and be tasked with delivering key health information to the public.

In a post on social media, Nesheiwat said she was "honored and humbled" by the nomination, and vowed to "work tirelessly to promote health, inspire hope, and serve our nation with dedication and compassion."

But why are so many members of his MAGA base against the appointment?

Donald Trump's base appears skeptical about Janette Nesheiwat

Donald Trump speaks at an evening campaign rally in Uniondale on Long Island on September 18, 2024 in Uniondale, New York.
Donald Trump speaks at an evening campaign rally in Uniondale on Long Island on September 18, 2024 in Uniondale, New York.  © Spencer Platt/Getty Images/AFP SPENCER PLATT / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

The nomination comes as Trump has added a number of his staunchest allies to his administration, including Fox News anchor Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense.

And like many of his nominations, Nesheiwat's has been met with backlash – but this time from Trump's own base.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Nesheiwat made a name for herself as an advocate for masks and vaccines, which she once described as "a gift from god" in an opinion piece published via Fox News in 2021.

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Her views do not align with the vaccine skepticism held by much of Trump's base and members of his cabinet, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who will helm the Department of Health and Human Services.

On Saturday, Trump officially completed filling his presidential cabinet after he nominated longtime ally Brooke Rollins to head the Department of Agriculture.

Cover photo: Collage: Terry Wyatt / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP & MANDEL NGAN / AFP

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