A senior adviser to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. resigned Thursday, marking another departure from President Donald Trump’s administration amid reported disagreements over the pace of its health and nutrition reforms.
Calley Means, a prominent figure in the Make America Healthy Again movement, announced his departure October 22 after serving in the administration since early 2025.
The resignation was first reported by The Wall Street Journal before Means confirmed the decision in a public statement on X.
“I am resigning from the White House with tremendous respect for President Trump and Bobby Kennedy,” Means wrote.
The former adviser praised the administration’s efforts to challenge established practices in Washington, particularly those he believes contribute to chronic illness and rising healthcare costs.
“They laid out a vision of combatting the entrenched, dark forces in DC that profit from Americans getting sick,” he continued.
Means maintained that the administration had made substantial progress on health policy during Trump’s second term and indicated that he remained committed to advancing the movement’s objectives.
His statement highlighted several initiatives he helped promote, including changes to federal dietary guidelines, restrictions on soda purchases through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and efforts to remove artificial food dyes.
He also pointed to proposed reforms involving psychedelic treatments, food safety regulations and government food purchasing practices.
“It was an honor to advocate for MAHA moms in the administration,” Means wrote.
Despite the positive tone of his announcement, his departure follows reported frustration with the administration’s handling of several major nutrition policies.
People familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal that Means had become increasingly dissatisfied with delays in implementing certain reforms.
One major concern involved the administration’s efforts to establish a federal definition of ultra-processed foods.
Officials had discussed the initiative in August, but the definition had not been finalized by the time Means announced his resignation.
He was also reportedly frustrated by delays involving proposed changes to school nutrition standards.
Those proposals included reducing added sugar in school meals while increasing protein content.
The initiatives had become important priorities for the MAHA movement, which has focused on improving Americans’ diets and addressing chronic health conditions.
However, the administration’s progress on those policies reportedly encountered resistance from food industry interests and other stakeholders.
One person familiar with Means’ thinking described him as “disillusioned” by the situation.
Additional tensions reportedly involved a Trump administration executive order concerning glyphosate production and certain actions taken by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Means did not directly address those reported disagreements in his resignation statement.
His departure concludes a tenure that began with his work alongside Kennedy during the 2024 presidential election.
Means previously served as an adviser to Kennedy’s independent presidential campaign and helped facilitate communication between Kennedy and Trump following the assassination attempt against Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Those discussions contributed to Kennedy’s eventual endorsement of Trump.
After the election, Means entered the administration as a special government employee in March 2025.
He initially worked in the White House before transitioning to a full-time senior adviser position at HHS in November 2025.
The move followed his divestment from Truemed, a wellness company he previously helped operate.
At HHS, Means concentrated on federal food and nutrition policy, working to advance initiatives aligned with Kennedy’s health agenda.
Before joining the administration, he gained national recognition as a wellness advocate and co-author of the 2024 book Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health, per Trending Politics.
He wrote the book with his sister, physician Casey Means, whose nomination to become U.S. surgeon general was withdrawn by Trump earlier this year.
The family’s involvement in health policy made the Means siblings prominent figures within the MAHA movement.
Calley Means’ resignation now raises questions about the administration’s ability to implement some of the movement’s remaining priorities.
Although he did not announce his next professional role, Means indicated that his involvement in health reform would continue outside government.
He also emphasized his continuing respect for Trump and Kennedy, making clear that his departure did not represent a public break with either figure.
For now, the administration has not announced a replacement for Means or detailed how his unfinished policy initiatives will proceed.
