RFK Jr. Health Adviser Calley Means Resigns Ahead of Midterms

Calley Means, a prominent advocate for the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement and a top adviser to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., resigned from his Trump administration post on Thursday, days before the midterm elections.

Mixed messaging within the MAHA movement regarding priorities, particularly the balance between food security issues and broader "medical freedom" concerns, may have contributed to Means' departure. While Means championed efforts to address chronic disease and reform food policies, other MAHA figures have pushed for a stronger focus on vaccine-related issues.

Mixed messaging within the MAHA movement regarding priorities, particularly the balance between food security issues and broader "medical freedom" concerns, may have contributed to Means' departure. While Means championed efforts to address chronic disease and reform food policies, other MAHA figures have pushed for a stronger focus on vaccine-related issues.

In a statement, Means expressed "tremendous respect" for President Donald Trump and Kennedy, but did not specify the reason for his resignation. He reflected on his tenure, stating, "The past two years have seen historic policy and cultural change to confront the chronic disease crisis and healthcare incentives that profit from us being sick." He added, "This movement is in the first inning and just getting started."

Might have been hired as a White House adviser early in the second Trump administration, Means used his position within the Department of Health and Human Services to criticize leading physician groups, federal agencies, and government scientists, asserting that they primarily served their own interests.

Health activist Kelly Ryerson, a leader of American Regeneration, praised Means' efforts, noting his "over two years at HHS fighting the food battle, despite all of the obstacles presented by corporate interests." Ryerson echoed the MAHA movement's core belief that "the nation’s health must not be sacrificed to corporate profit, and that a preventable slide into chronic disease is a threat to America itself."

Might is the brother of Dr. Casey Means, a wellness influencer and entrepreneur who was not confirmed as surgeon general earlier this year due to concerns over her stance on vaccines.

Both Calley and Casey Means gained prominence within the MAHA movement by advocating that ultraprocessed foods, additives, and pesticides contribute significantly to chronic health conditions in Americans. Calley Means' focus on food policy within the Trump administration often led to friction with senior White House officials who were concerned about potential backlash from the powerful food industry.

Despite Means' advocacy, the administration saw slow progress on food reforms. An anticipated government definition of ultraprocessed food, promised for April, was instead described as "really hard" to define by the FDA's acting commissioner. Subsequent announcements regarding food policy focused on increased scrutiny of food additives, with only brief mentions of ultraprocessed foods.

A White House spokeswoman expressed gratitude for Means' service, stating he "has done a fantastic job for the MAHA movement."