Politics

Top Kennedy health adviser Calley Means resigns from Trump administration

Means did not give a reason in his statement, while a source says he grew frustrated with stalled MAHA priorities.

Updated Oct 23, 2026 · 00:14 UTC3 reports

The short version

Calley Means, a top adviser to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and a central advocate of the Make America Healthy Again movement, has resigned from the Trump administration.[NBC News]
Means said he is leaving the White House with tremendous respect for President Trump and Kennedy, but did not say why.[Associated Press · NBC News]
A person familiar with the decision says Means grew frustrated at how little he could advance MAHA priorities, with delayed progress on a federal ultra-processed food definition described as the final straw.[NBC News]
Because Means did not give a reason, the frustration account rests on an anonymous source and remains unconfirmed.[Associated Press · NBC News]

Calley Means, a top adviser to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has resigned from the Trump administration.[NBC News]
In a statement, Means said he is leaving the White House with high regard for President Trump and Kennedy.[NBC News]
Means did not say why he was leaving, according to the Associated Press.[Associated Press]
A person familiar with the decision said Means grew frustrated at how little he could advance MAHA priorities in Washington.[NBC News]
The source said the lack of progress on a federal definition of ultra-processed foods was the final straw.[NBC News]

The reasons for the resignation rest on an anonymous source and have not been confirmed by Means, who did not state a reason.[Associated Press · NBC News]

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.