Trump's nominee for Surgeon General has invested in several tobacco companies

The nomination of Dr. Nicole Saphier as U.S. Surgeon General comes amid several controversies in the United States concerning conflicts of interest and the relationship between public officials and private interests. Her financial disclosures notably reveal stakes in several tobacco and nicotine companies, which she has pledged to divest if her nomination is confirmed.[1]. This latest development also comes as the Trump administration is changing regulations on nicotine products and the industry is increasing pressure on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to obtain authorization for new products.

Dr. Nicole Saphier appointed to the position of Surgeon General

Dr. Nicole Saphier, a radiologist, heads the breast imaging department at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in Monmouth, New Jersey, and previously worked with Fox News as a contributing expert on health and medical news. She also published several opinion pieces there, including views aligned with anti-vaccine and Trump stances on the Covid-19 pandemic. Under an institutional ethics agreement governed by the Office of Government Ethics (OGE), she is taking an unpaid leave of absence from her hospital as part of her appointment.

The Surgeon General is notably responsible for communicating key scientific information on health and prevention to the American public. Nicole Saphier's nomination represents the Trump administration's third attempt to fill this position. The two previous candidates, Janette Nesheiwat and Casey Means, ultimately had to withdraw due to a lack of support in the Senate.

Nicole Saphier was notably disavowed earlier this year after initially refusing to recommend measles vaccination during a Senate hearing, before reversing her decision.

This new nomination comes as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has made combating ultra-processed foods and certain food additives a priority of his term, having unveiled new dietary guidelines earlier this year that identified sugary drinks as a contributing factor to metabolic diseases. Nicole Saphier also advocates reducing the consumption of ultra-processed foods, eliminating certain additives, and engaging in regular physical activity. Nicole Saphier's confirmation hearing before the Senate is scheduled for September 16, 2026.

Numerous stakes in industries harmful to public health

Nicole Saphier has declared financial holdings in more than 200 companies, including tobacco companies Philip Morris International, Altria, and British American Tobacco. Her investments also include several companies in the fast-food and sugary beverage sector, such as McDonald's, Starbucks, Yum! Brands (which owns KFC, Habit Burger & Grill, and Taco Bell), Monster Beverage, Coca-Cola, and PepsiCo., a sector known for its historical links with the tobacco industry, This continues to influence the methods and strategies of other sectors criticized for their detrimental consequences for public health. Finally, Nicole Saphier's assets include oil companies (Exxon, Chevron). They too are accused in scientific publications of adopting the disinformation and manipulation strategies of the tobacco industry.. In another controversial area of business, Dr. Saphier is the founder of DropRx, a company that markets herbal tinctures marketed as a way to promote focus, relaxation, and overall well-being. While DropRx states that its products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, questions have been raised about them, including a formulation containing kava, an ingredient linked to liver safety concerns and banned for military use by the Department of Defense.[2].

She has pledged to divest all or part of her holdings in these companies no later than 90 days after her confirmation in this position.

It also plans to divest from several pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, including Eli Lilly, Biogen, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Merck, and AbbVie. Investments have also been mentioned in tech giants like Meta, which has been accused of using the same promotional and psychological tactics as the tobacco industry to make its users addicted.

This appointment comes amid close ties between the Trump administration and the nicotine industry, and significant pressure on the FDA.

Nicole Saphier's appointment comes amid broader controversies surrounding the links between the Trump administration, private interests, and public health policies. In recent years, appointments, departures of officials, and situations involving conflicts of interest have raised questions about the independence of certain health decisions. In the tobacco and nicotine products sector, these concerns are amplified by the financial ties between this industry and the political circle of the American president. According to an investigation by KFF Health News, Tobacco industry interests paid at least $6 million in 2025 to organizations supporting Donald Trump and his inauguration., while industry contributions to political organizations close to the president have exceeded $20 million since the end of 2023.

This proximity comes at a time when US policy regarding nicotine products is undergoing several changes favorable to the industry. In May 2026, the FDA notably eased certain conditions allowing manufacturers to market electronic cigarettes and nicotine pouches pending regulatory decisions, while also authorizing new products. These changes were preceded by lobbying efforts by industry representatives with the Trump administration. In June, The FDA also authorized 20 Philip Morris ZYN products to be marketed with modified risk statements. compared to those of smoking.

In this context, Nicole Saphier's declared financial holdings in several tobacco companies and other business sectors, which are responsible for premature mortality and high morbidity, constitute a factual element that calls into question her ability to independently define and communicate on evidence-based public health policies. They also illustrate the importance of rules preventing conflicts of interest in a field where the commercial interests of tobacco and nicotine manufacturers directly contradict public health objectives.

This situation is further aggravated by the fact that the United States is one of the few countries that has never ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), Article 5.3 of which calls on States to protect their public health policies from the commercial and other interests of the tobacco industry.

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[1]Nathaniel Weixel, Trump surgeon general nominee discloses tobacco, pharma investments, The Hill, published on September 10, 2026, accessed on September 11, 2026

[2]Surgeon General Nominee Nicole Saphier Owned Tobacco, Pharma and Junk-Food Stocks—Conflict or Disclosure System Working?, TrialSiteNews, published September 11, 2026, accessed September 14, 2026

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