Blanche dismisses Means allegations as GOP's MAHA feud deepens
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Former Trump health adviser Calley Means speaks at an "Eat Real Food" rally in Austin, Texas, in February. Photo: Jordan Vonderhaar/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Attorney General Todd Blanche on Sunday dismissed former Trump health adviser Calley Means' corruption allegations against senior White House officials, even as a former FDA commissioner described pressure from tobacco lobbyists and a Republican congressman called for scrutiny.
Why it matters: The feud inside President Trump's coalition raises a central question about Trump's health agenda: Were his advisers undermining it, as Means alleges, or were they carrying out the president's wishes?
The latest: Asked on CNN's "State of the Union" whether the DOJ would investigate Means' allegations, Blanche responded: "Something that someone says on a podcast? No, I do not listen to that. Absolutely not."
- Blanche called Means a "disgruntled former administration official" and praised former White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, who Trump announced Friday would be replaced by Stephen Miller.
- On "Fox News Sunday," Blanche said allegations about Wiles' financial dealings did not concern him.
- But Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-Ind.) told CNN that "any allegation of any impropriety like this should be looked at."
Driving the news: Means, who alleged widespread corruption in a Friday interview with Joe Rogan, told CBS' "Face the Nation" that he had wanted Wiles removed.
- Means accused Wiles of blocking an initiative to examine children's sugar consumption because she wanted sugar-industry donations for the midterms.
- He also alleged that Wiles' deputies pushed policies favorable to the flavored-vaping and kratom industries over the objections of officials working on the Make America Healthy Again agenda.
- Means accused Trump pollster Tony Fabrizio of advising against defining ultra-processed foods while receiving money from PepsiCo.
- The White House and the Justice Department did not respond to Axios' request for comment.
What they're saying: Former FDA Commissioner Marty Makary backed up part of Means' account in a statement to CBS.
- "Big tobacco exploited their connections to administration and HHS officials," Makary said, alleging repeated pressure to approve fruit-flavored vapes.
- Makary said kratom lobbyists similarly tried to undermine his attempts to restrict the substances.
- He did not identify which officials pressured him.
The other side: Former White House adviser James Blair, one of Wiles' allies that Means has accused of wrongdoing, disputed Means' allegations in messages to Axios.
- "I didn't promote flavored vaping specifically at all," Blair said, adding that he never weighed in on individual applications or which flavors should be approved.
- Blair said he was following Trump's instructions to ensure the FDA made timely decisions on applications, whether approving or denying them.
- "The voters elected President Trump. Not me, and not Calley Means," Blair told Axios. He said he never dealt with kratom policy and is reviewing his legal options.
When speaking to Axios, Fabrizio called Means' allegation that he was "in the pocket of Big Pharma" "ridiculous" and "demonstrably false," citing his firm's polling showing support for lower prescription drug prices and policies that would cut into pharmaceutical profits.
- Fabrizio also said he encouraged Republican lawmakers to campaign on Trump's "most favored nation" drug-pricing proposal.
Between the lines: Means has portrayed Trump as unaware of decisions his advisers made. But the Wall Street Journal reported in May that Trump personally pressured Makary to approve flavored vaping products.
- Pressed by CBS' Margaret Brennan, Means said he did not know whether Trump had called Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. after meeting with tobacco-industry representatives.
- Means argued advisers manipulated what reached the president and invoked Trump's authority to advance their own priorities.
- Blair rejected that characterization, telling Axios: "In the White House, I implemented the President's agenda always."
