Can Trump's latest pick for surgeon general make it through confirmation?

Key Points:

• President Trump has nominated Dr. Nicole Saphier, a radiologist and former Fox News contributor, as his third pick for U.S. surgeon general, aiming for a candidate more acceptable to Republican lawmakers than his previous nominee, Dr. Casey Means.
• Saphier, who directs breast imaging at Memorial Sloan Kettering Monmouth and is an active licensed physician, is seen as a reasonable choice with strong appeal to core Republican issues, though she will face scrutiny from Senate HELP Committee members who opposed Means.
• While Saphier supports vaccines, she has expressed reservations about strict childhood vaccine schedules and opposes vaccine mandates, a stance that may be examined during her confirmation hearing.
• Experts note that although Saphier has strong clinical credentials and communication skills, her focus on individual care may contrast with broader public health and societal perspectives traditionally expected of the surgeon general.
• The surgeon general role demands leadership and public health expertise beyond clinical medicine, including managing national health emergencies and representing the U.S. globally, with past officials emphasizing the importance of experience in vaccination policy, environmental health, and emergency preparedness.