Nicole Saphier, President Trump’s nominee for surgeon general, told senators she has not seen reputable evidence linking vaccines to autism and rejected the president’s suggestion that the MMR vaccine could be "lethal." She defended the hepatitis B vaccine’s role in cancer prevention and publicly distanced herself from unfounded vaccine claims promoted by others. The White House has backed her nomination, which remains pending a confirmation vote. Saphier also deleted social posts critical of Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. after her nomination.
Trump’s Surgeon General Nominee Rejects Vaccine Myths, Pushes Back on MMR ‘Lethal’ Claim
Saphier told senators she does not believe vaccines cause autism. / Evan Vucci / REUTERS
Nicole Saphier, a 44-year-old radiologist and former Fox News contributor nominated by President Donald Trump in April, distanced herself from a number of high-profile vaccine-related claims during a Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday.
Clear Rejection Of The Vaccine-Autism Link
Saphier told senators she does not know the cause of autism but said she has "not seen reputable evidence that would suggest that vaccines cause autism." Her remarks mark a departure from assertions promoted by some public figures and echoed concerns among voters about misinformation surrounding immunizations.
Pushback On MMR ‘Lethal’ Claim
When Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy asked about President Trump’s suggestion that the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine could be "lethal," Saphier pushed back emphatically.
"I do not believe the MMR vaccine to be lethal. I believe the MMR vaccine is our greatest tool for combating measles," she said, noting a substantial rise in measles cases this year compared with 2025.
Support For Hepatitis B Vaccination At Birth
Saphier also disagreed with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s positions on the timing of hepatitis B vaccination. While reporting has said a CDC advisory panel has reconsidered the timing of certain infant vaccines, Saphier emphasized the public-health benefit of hepatitis B shots.
Saphier shakes hands with Sen. Bill Cassidy, chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. / Evan Vucci / REUTERS
"The hepatitis B vaccines are one of the most tangible ways we have to prevent cancer, and that is something that I absolutely am always excited about because it is so hard to prevent cancer in so many patients," she told the committee.
White House Backing And Nomination Context
The White House has publicly defended Saphier. Spokesperson Kush Desai told the Daily Beast that Saphier is "an accomplished physician who has practiced radiology at Memorial Sloan Kettering and has been an outspoken voice on breast cancer prevention, intrusive COVID-19 mandates, the politicization of science and the federal government's role in America's chronic disease epidemic." Desai added that she has been "a powerful asset for President Trump."
Saphier is Trump's third nominee for surgeon general since January 2025. She replaced Casey Means, described as a wellness influencer who favored alternative approaches to health, after earlier nominee Dr. Janette Nesheiwat's nomination was withdrawn amid questions about inconsistencies in her résumé, including claims about where she earned her M.D.
Social Media Posts And Transparency Questions
Soon after her nomination, news outlets reported that Saphier deleted social-media posts that were critical of Trump and Kennedy’s health statements. In one now-deleted post she pushed back on the president’s comment that pregnant women should avoid Tylenol — a remark linked to unproven claims about autism — writing, "As a mom of 3 kids, I don't love a man telling me to 'tough it out' when it comes to pregnancy. Words matter. Facts matter too."
A date for a Senate confirmation vote has not been set.
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