Former Health Aide Alleges Corruption by White House Officials Over Industry Ties

Calley Means, a former senior adviser to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., accused several Trump administration figures of prioritizing industry lobbyists over public health to fund midterm election campaigns. Means stated on television that former White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and other close advisers served the vaping, ultra-processed food, pharmaceutical, and pesticide industries while working behind the scenes. Means claimed Wiles and her deputy, James Blair, pushed the Department of Health and Human Services to approve fruit-flavored e-cigarettes. The Food and Drug Administration cleared certain fruit-flavored vapes in May. Blair denied promoting flavored vaping specifically, stating he only worked to ensure the FDA processed nicotine applications within the legally mandated six-month window. Sources noted that President Trump sought to make flavored vapes more accessible to help adults quit smoking, fulfilling a campaign pledge. Former FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary resigned in May after facing White House pressure to approve fruit-flavored vapes and block efforts against Kratom. Sources confirmed earlier reports that tobacco lobbyists met with the president at his Florida golf course to discuss regulations, a meeting Means alleged Wiles arranged. Wiles denied setting up the golf course meeting. Her resignation was announced Thursday night, coinciding with Republican midterm election losses. Means also criticized White House policies regarding glyphosate, the herbicide found in Roundup. President Trump signed an executive order earlier this year boosting production of the chemical for national security reasons, overriding concerns from Kennedy. The Supreme Court subsequently ruled in favor of Monsanto, protecting it from state-level liability claims. Means accused White House adviser Heidi Overton of coordinating with the Department of Justice on a brief supporting Monsanto, though a senior official maintained the solicitor general wrote the filing at the court's request.

Context

Administrative policy conflicts often emerge when campaign promises around public health intersect with broad economic interests and agricultural regulations. The federal rulemaking process requires balancing statutory review timelines against executive directives and industry lobbying pressures. These internal disputes highlight the complex challenges officials face when trying to implement major health and dietary reforms within a large administration.