Former RFK Jr adviser accuses White House staff of prioritizing special interests
Calley Means, a former health adviser to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., accused outgoing White House chief of staff Susie Wiles of stalling the Make America Healthy Again agenda in an interview on Friday.
Allegations against outgoing chief of staff
Means told Joe Rogan that Wiles led the administration to bow to corporate interests during her tenure. He stated she stalled the Make America Healthy Again agenda by prioritizing fundraising before the midterm elections. Means claimed Republicans lost these elections because officials catered to special interests against voter will. He specifically blamed Wiles for dropping the ball on health policy reforms.
Specific claims about sugar and vaping
Means alleged that staff needed money from the sugar industry to fuel the midterms rather than supporting healthier diets. He also accused Wiles and deputy chief James Blair of pressuring HHS to approve flavored e-cigarettes. Blair denied these claims to CBS News, stating he did not promote flavored vaping specifically. Means further claimed pollster Tony Fabrizio refused to support initiatives while taking money from industry giants.
Resignations and political fallout
Wiles left the administration on Friday after being replaced by Stephen Miller as chief of staff. Deputy chief Richard Walters also resigned from the administration on that same day. Means suggested many decisions happened without Trump's full knowledge regarding industry funding. Democrats took both chambers of Congress following the election results Means attributed to these internal conflicts.
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- The Hill
- The Guardian
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