Trump Aides Clash Over Health Policy
Former adviser Calley Means accuses outgoing White House chief of staff Susie Wiles of prioritizing sugar industry donations over public health goals.
By Priya Marino ·
A public dispute between former Trump administration officials is intensifying.
Calley Means, a former top adviser to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., appeared on Joe Rogan’s podcast on Friday to allege corruption in public health policymaking. He accused Susie Wiles, the recently replaced White House chief of staff, and James Blair, a senior political adviser, of catering to foreign and domestic lobbyists. These actions, Means claimed, occurred at the expense of American health. Both Wiles and Blair denied the allegations.
Means provided specific examples during the interview. He recalled a conversation with Wiles in which she allegedly declined to support certain initiatives because she needed funding from the sugar industry. "Calley, we can’t do this. I need sugar money," he recalled her saying. "I need the money from the sugar people to win the midterms." He also stated that Wiles and her former lobbying firm, Ballard Partners, held a stranglehold on policy decisions. Means said he believed much of this happened without Trump’s full knowledge.
The White House pushed back against these claims. Spokeswoman Allison Schuster stated that the administration has never allowed outside groups to influence policy decisions. Brian Ballard, founder of Ballard Partners, also denied communicating with top White House officials on issues like glyphosate. Blair threatened legal action, telling Means in text messages viewed by the Associated Press that he would sue if Means slandered him.
This feud emerges as the Make America Healthy Again movement shows signs of strain. MAHA activists have grown disenchanted with the administration’s handling of environmental and health issues. Many grassroots supporters viewed the Environmental Protection Agency as infiltrated by lobbyist interests. They blamed agricultural and chemical industry insiders for the failure to pass reforms on microplastics and pesticides. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin had promised a formal MAHA agenda in December, but it never materialized.
Zen Honeycutt, founder of Moms Across America, described Means as amplifying frustrations within the movement. She noted that Trump’s replacement of Wiles with Stephen Miller aligns better with MAHA goals. However, Honeycutt said she has met with Democrats, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, to discuss shared priorities like glyphosate. "The MAHA movement does not belong to any party or politician," she said.
Means suggested on CBS’ Face the Nation that Democrats have a huge opportunity to advance MAHA issues in the coming year. He called Kennedy a hero on the podcast. Democrats, who will control Congress, may use Means’ statements to investigate White House officials. However, pushing hard against Kennedy could complicate efforts to build ties with MAHA supporters who still view the health secretary positively.
