- Calley Means, a former adviser to RFK Jr., accused Trump officials, including Susie Wiles, of abandoning the MAHA agenda and taking money from the sugar industry ahead of the midterms, which Republicans lost.
- The blowup began when Calley Means appeared on Joe Rogan's podcast and accused Susie Wiles, James Blair, and others of catering to lobbyists at the expense of Americans' health.
- Means escalated his accusations, stating that Wiles was executing a systematic strategy to throw President Trump under the bus.
- Means issued threats to Wiles, warning that if America doesn't move on from her version of politics, the country will cease to exist.
- Means claimed that Wiles and her ally James Blair may pursue legal action against him, calling for the preservation of communications.
- Zen Honeycutt stated that Means is 'amplifying the frustrations' of MAHA folks and is 'excited for a new beginning' now that Trump has replaced Wiles with Stephen Miller.
- The White House and Ballard Partners denied Means' accusations, asserting that outside groups have never influenced policy decisions.
- Means alleged that Wiles repeatedly told him, 'We need money for the midterms, Calley,' indicating a focus on fundraising over policy.
- Means claimed that Wiles and her close-knit crew explicitly catered to special interests against the will of the voters.
- Means stated that the administration's focus on special interests contributed to the midterm loss, saying, 'I mean, it’s why we lost the midterms.'
- Means accused Wiles and Blair of pressuring the Department of Health and Human Services to approve flavored e-cigarettes.
- Blair denied the claims, stating he didn't promote flavored vaping and was aligning FDA processes with federal law.
- Means also claimed that Fabrizio refused to support MAHA initiatives while taking money from industry and pharmaceutical companies.
- A public spat between former Trump administration officials over alleged corruption in public health policymaking has exposed fault lines within the White House.
Calley Means, a former health adviser to Donald Trump, has launched a fierce attack on Susie Wiles, the recently ousted White House chief of staff, accusing her of 'demonic' behavior and prioritizing industry lobbying over public health initiatives. In a series of posts on X, Means claimed Wiles executed a systematic strategy to undermine Trump and cater to lobbyists, particularly citing Brian Ballard, a lobbyist he alleges worked closely with her.123
Means stated, “What’s most demonic is that Susie and Ballard are taking aim at the foundational claim I’ve made that she and her cronies on K street didn’t prioritize corporate interests to a larger degree than Americans voted for.” He further alleged that Wiles pressured the administration to approve flavored e-cigarettes and neglected the Maha agenda in favor of fundraising from the sugar industry, which he claims contributed to the Republicans' midterm losses.
In response, Wiles and her allies, including James Blair, have threatened legal action against Means, who has called for the preservation of communications that could reveal the influence of industry money on White House policy. Blair denied Means' claims, asserting he did not promote flavored vaping and accusing Means of misrepresenting his role.
The White House has firmly rejected Means' allegations, with spokeswoman Allison Schuster stating, “The Trump Administration has never allowed and will never allow outside groups to influence policy decisions.” This public spat highlights ongoing tensions within the Republican party and could have implications for future political alliances, particularly concerning the Make America Healthy Again movement.
“Means claims Wiles repeatedly told him 'We need money for the midterms' and that advisers blocked MAHA initiatives to protect sugar industry donations. He also alleged Wiles and James Blair pressured HHS to approve flavored e-cigarettes, with Blair denying the claim and threatening to sue.”
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