On April 30, 2026, President Donald Trump announced that he is nominating Dr. Nicole Saphier to serve as the next U.S. Surgeon General. Trump described her as a “STAR physician” who has dedicated her career to helping patients, especially those facing breast cancer. He also praised her skills as a communicator who can explain complex health topics in ways that everyday Americans can understand.
In a Truth Social post, Trump wrote that Dr. Saphier “will do great things for our Country” and help advance the goal of “Making America Healthy Again.” This marks the third time Trump has chosen a nominee for the position after his two previous picks did not gain enough support in the Senate.
Background and Career
Dr. Nicole Saphier (born Nicole Elizabeth Berardoni in January 1982 in Scottsdale, Arizona) is a board-certified radiologist specializing in breast imaging. She serves as Director of Breast Imaging at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in Monmouth, New Jersey, where she focuses on cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment. She also holds a position as an associate professor of radiology at Weill Cornell Medical College.
Saphier earned her undergraduate degree from Arizona State University and her medical degree from Ross University School of Medicine in 2008. She completed her radiology residency at Maricopa Integrated Health Systems and advanced fellowship training in breast and oncologic imaging at the Mayo Clinic. She became a Fox News contributor in 2018 and frequently appears on the network to discuss medical news, public health issues, and health policy.
In addition to her clinical work, Saphier hosts the podcast “Wellness Unmasked,” where she holds unfiltered conversations about wellness topics and shares evidence-based advice on healthy living. Recent episodes have covered subjects such as psychedelic drugs for mental health treatment and the Pentagon’s decision to end mandatory flu vaccinations for service members. On the vaccine policy, she expressed a cautious view, saying she was unsure whether the change represented “medical freedom or military risk.” She stressed the need to collect data on flu rates, hospitalizations, and military readiness before drawing firm conclusions, adding that “good health policy shouldn’t be driven by ideology” but by evidence.
Support for “Make America Healthy Again”
Dr. Saphier has been a strong supporter of the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) movement, which is championed by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. In 2020, she published the book Make America Healthy Again: How Bad Behavior and Big Government Caused a Trillion-Dollar Crisis. The book examines rising health care costs, the opioid epidemic, cancer, and the importance of personal responsibility in preventing disease.
Saphier argues that Americans must take greater ownership of their own health rather than relying solely on doctors or government programs. She has criticized the federal government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic for putting politics ahead of science and has questioned aspects of the Affordable Care Act, saying it overlooks the role of individual behavior in controlling costs.
What Happens Next
Saphier’s nomination will now go before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee for review. If the committee approves it, the full Senate will then vote on whether to confirm her as Surgeon General. The Surgeon General serves as the nation’s top public health spokesperson and can issue advisories on important health matters.
Trump’s previous nominee, Dr. Casey Means, faced opposition from some Democrats and even a few Republicans over questions about her views on vaccinations and her clinical experience. Trump publicly criticized Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana for blocking progress on that nomination and has since endorsed a primary challenger against him.
Dr. Saphier brings a combination of clinical expertise in cancer imaging, media experience explaining health issues to the public, and alignment with the administration’s focus on prevention, personal responsibility, and reforming U.S. health policy. Her confirmation process will likely center on how her background and views fit the demands of the Surgeon General role.
