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Dr Janette Nesheiwat’s journey to being President Trump’s nominee for surgeon general is one marked by tragedy, resilience and controversy. At 13, she unwittingly caused her father’s death when a fishing-tackle box tumbled in the dark and discharged a hidden handgun.
That “freak accident” propelled her towards medicine, she has said, determined to transform her childhood trauma into a vocation of healing. Raised in Umatilla, Florida, by a widowed paediatric nurse, Nesheiwat and her four siblings learned early on the value of hard work and faith as they rallied around their mother’s unwavering strength.After earning her MD at the American University of the Caribbean and completing a family medicine residency at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, she hosted “Family Health Today” on local television and led medical missions to Haiti and Joplin, Missouri.Her media presence expanded in 2020 when she became a Fox News medical contributor, offering rapid-fire analysis on everything from vaccine efficacy to Parkinson’s diagnoses. Initially a vocal champion of Covid-19 vaccination calling it “a gift from God” she later questioned the need to add it to childhood schedules, aligning with growing scepticism. It was this blend of mainstream credibility and contrarian flair that caught Mr Trump’s eye; in November 2024 he commended her as a “fierce advocate and strong communicator” and lauded her immigrant-family upbringing.
Yet within MAGA ranks, her nomination has ignited fierce debate. Far-right activist Laura Loomer publicly denounced Nesheiwat on social media, accusing her of credential inflation Nesheiwat’s MD comes from a Caribbean school, not Arkansas as once claimed and castigating her vaccine advocacy as antithetical to “personal liberty.” Loomer even vowed a new “civil war” over the pick, forcing Nesheiwat to quietly remove “nominee for Surgeon General” from her social-media bio, though the Senate hearing remains set.
Who is Dr Janette Nesheiwat?
- Early Life and Tragedy: Born 25 August 1976 in Carmel, New York; at 13 accidentally caused her father’s death in Umatilla, Florida.
- Education: BSc in Biology from University of South Florida (2000); MD from American University of the Caribbean; family medicine residency at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (2009).
- Medical Career: Practised in rural Arkansas; hosted “Family Health Today”; led relief missions in Haiti (2010) and post-tornado Joplin (2011); joined CityMD in New York (2012), rising to medical director and treating thousands during Covid-19.
- Media Role: Fox News medical contributor since March 2020; initial pro-vaccine advocate who later questioned adding Covid shots to childhood immunisations.
- Nomination: Announced November 22 by President Trump as surgeon general nominee; praised for preventive-medicine advocacy and immigrant-family background.
- MAGA Backlash: Targeted by Laura Loomer over credentials and vaccine stance; social-media bio briefly altered; Senate hearing continues as scheduled.
- Family and Heritage: Second of five children of Jordanian immigrants; siblings include Julia Nesheiwat, former Trump homeland security adviser, and Jaclyn, married to Creed frontman Scott Stapp.
English (US)