Trump's surgeon general pick faces questions on vaccines and vaping at Senate hearing

The Senate committee on health held a confirmation hearing for three top health officials, including surgeon general. Dr. Nicole Saphier is President Trump's third pick to be the nation's top doctor.

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST: President Trump's third surgeon general pick, Dr. Nicole Saphier, seems positioned for a successful nomination after a Senate health committee hearing yesterday. NPR's Rachel Carlson reports lawmakers were mostly friendly but did push her on vaccines and vaping. RACHEL CARLSON, BYLINE: Saphier, a radiologist and former Fox News contributor, pitched herself as a practicing doctor and a strong communicator. At the beginning of the hearing, physician and committee chair Bill Cassidy, a Republican from Louisiana, asked Saphier about the debunked link between vaccines and autism. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) NICOLE SAPHIER: Certainly, I have not seen any evidence presented to me that it is repeatable... BILL CASSIDY: There's a little bit of wiggle room there. And I'm so sensitive to this because I've had wiggle room from people sitting there who later used that wiggle room to do things which are quite contrary. CARLSON: Saphier clarified her position on the MMR vaccine. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) SAPHIER: I believe the MMR vaccine is our greatest tool for combating measles. CASSIDY: That's great. That's great music. And does it cause autism? SAPHIER: I do not believe childhood vaccines cause autism. CARLSON: That's a departure from the position of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who would be Saphier's boss if she's confirmed, and from the position of President Trump. Vaping was another key topic at the hearing. Republican Senator Susan Collins asked Saphier to weigh in on the FDA's recent decision to allow the sale of fruit-flavored vapes. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) SAPHIER: As a physician, I don't want anyone smoking anything. The lungs are very sensitive and they don't regenerate. I do believe that if a flavor can entice an adult to quit smoking cigarettes, then maybe it's something to be considered. CARLSON: Two other Trump picks for top health positions were questioned at the hearing. That included Chris Klomp, a former health tech executive up for deputy health secretary. If confirmed, Klomp would be second in command to Kennedy. Cassidy asked Klomp about recent measles-associated deaths in Pennsylvania and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's refusal to publish the deaths on their measles website page. Klomp agreed on the need for transparency in government health agencies like the CDC and on the need for what he called proper policy discussion. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) CHRIS KLOMP: In this case, promoting vaccination for measles so that we achieve or maintain our elimination status. CARLSON: The next step is for the committee to vote on whether to recommend the nominees to the full Senate. Rachel Carlson, NPR News. (SOUNDBITE OF LETTUCE'S "PHYLLIS") Copyright © 2026 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. Accuracy and availability of NPR transcripts may vary. Transcript text may be revised to correct errors or match updates to audio. Audio on npr.org may be edited after its original broadcast or publication. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST: President Trump's third surgeon general pick, Dr. Nicole Saphier, seems positioned for a successful nomination after a Senate health committee hearing yesterday. NPR's Rachel Carlson reports lawmakers were mostly friendly but did push her on vaccines and vaping. RACHEL CARLSON, BYLINE: Saphier, a radiologist and former Fox News contributor, pitched herself as a practicing doctor and a strong communicator. At the beginning of the hearing, physician and committee chair Bill Cassidy, a Republican from Louisiana, asked Saphier about the debunked link between vaccines and autism. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) NICOLE SAPHIER: Certainly, I have not seen any evidence presented to me that it is repeatable... BILL CASSIDY: There's a little bit of wiggle room there. And I'm so sensitive to this because I've had wiggle room from people sitting there who later used that wiggle room to do things which are quite contrary. CARLSON: Saphier clarified her position on the MMR vaccine. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) SAPHIER: I believe the MMR vaccine is our greatest tool for combating measles. CASSIDY: That's great. That's great music. And does it cause autism? SAPHIER: I do not believe childhood vaccines cause autism. CARLSON: That's a departure from the position of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who would be Saphier's boss if she's confirmed, and from the position of President Trump. Vaping was another key topic at the hearing. Republican Senator Susan Collins asked Saphier to weigh in on the FDA's recent decision to allow the sale of fruit-flavored vapes. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) SAPHIER: As a physician, I don't want anyone smoking anything. The lungs are very sensitive and they don't regenerate. I do believe that if a flavor can entice an adult to quit smoking cigarettes, then maybe it's something to be considered. CARLSON: Two other Trump picks for top health positions were questioned at the hearing. That included Chris Klomp, a former health tech executive up for deputy health secretary. If confirmed, Klomp would be second in command to Kennedy. Cassidy asked Klomp about recent measles-associated deaths in Pennsylvania and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's refusal to publish the deaths on their measles website page. Klomp agreed on the need for transparency in government health agencies like the CDC and on the need for what he called proper policy discussion. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) CHRIS KLOMP: In this case, promoting vaccination for measles so that we achieve or maintain our elimination status. CARLSON: The next step is for the committee to vote on whether to recommend the nominees to the full Senate. Rachel Carlson, NPR News. (SOUNDBITE OF LETTUCE'S "PHYLLIS") Copyright © 2026 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. Accuracy and availability of NPR transcripts may vary. Transcript text may be revised to correct errors or match updates to audio. Audio on npr.org may be edited after its original broadcast or publication. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

President Trump's third surgeon general pick, Dr. Nicole Saphier, seems positioned for a successful nomination after a Senate health committee hearing yesterday. NPR's Rachel Carlson reports lawmakers were mostly friendly but did push her on vaccines and vaping. RACHEL CARLSON, BYLINE: Saphier, a radiologist and former Fox News contributor, pitched herself as a practicing doctor and a strong communicator. At the beginning of the hearing, physician and committee chair Bill Cassidy, a Republican from Louisiana, asked Saphier about the debunked link between vaccines and autism. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) NICOLE SAPHIER: Certainly, I have not seen any evidence presented to me that it is repeatable... BILL CASSIDY: There's a little bit of wiggle room there. And I'm so sensitive to this because I've had wiggle room from people sitting there who later used that wiggle room to do things which are quite contrary. CARLSON: Saphier clarified her position on the MMR vaccine. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) SAPHIER: I believe the MMR vaccine is our greatest tool for combating measles. CASSIDY: That's great. That's great music. And does it cause autism? SAPHIER: I do not believe childhood vaccines cause autism. CARLSON: That's a departure from the position of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who would be Saphier's boss if she's confirmed, and from the position of President Trump. Vaping was another key topic at the hearing. Republican Senator Susan Collins asked Saphier to weigh in on the FDA's recent decision to allow the sale of fruit-flavored vapes. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) SAPHIER: As a physician, I don't want anyone smoking anything. The lungs are very sensitive and they don't regenerate. I do believe that if a flavor can entice an adult to quit smoking cigarettes, then maybe it's something to be considered. CARLSON: Two other Trump picks for top health positions were questioned at the hearing. That included Chris Klomp, a former health tech executive up for deputy health secretary. If confirmed, Klomp would be second in command to Kennedy. Cassidy asked Klomp about recent measles-associated deaths in Pennsylvania and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's refusal to publish the deaths on their measles website page. Klomp agreed on the need for transparency in government health agencies like the CDC and on the need for what he called proper policy discussion. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) CHRIS KLOMP: In this case, promoting vaccination for measles so that we achieve or maintain our elimination status. CARLSON: The next step is for the committee to vote on whether to recommend the nominees to the full Senate. Rachel Carlson, NPR News. (SOUNDBITE OF LETTUCE'S "PHYLLIS") Copyright © 2026 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. Accuracy and availability of NPR transcripts may vary. Transcript text may be revised to correct errors or match updates to audio. Audio on npr.org may be edited after its original broadcast or publication. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

President Trump's third surgeon general pick, Dr. Nicole Saphier, seems positioned for a successful nomination after a Senate health committee hearing yesterday. NPR's Rachel Carlson reports lawmakers were mostly friendly but did push her on vaccines and vaping. RACHEL CARLSON, BYLINE: Saphier, a radiologist and former Fox News contributor, pitched herself as a practicing doctor and a strong communicator. At the beginning of the hearing, physician and committee chair Bill Cassidy, a Republican from Louisiana, asked Saphier about the debunked link between vaccines and autism. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) NICOLE SAPHIER: Certainly, I have not seen any evidence presented to me that it is repeatable... BILL CASSIDY: There's a little bit of wiggle room there. And I'm so sensitive to this because I've had wiggle room from people sitting there who later used that wiggle room to do things which are quite contrary. CARLSON: Saphier clarified her position on the MMR vaccine. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) SAPHIER: I believe the MMR vaccine is our greatest tool for combating measles. CASSIDY: That's great. That's great music. And does it cause autism? SAPHIER: I do not believe childhood vaccines cause autism. CARLSON: That's a departure from the position of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who would be Saphier's boss if she's confirmed, and from the position of President Trump. Vaping was another key topic at the hearing. Republican Senator Susan Collins asked Saphier to weigh in on the FDA's recent decision to allow the sale of fruit-flavored vapes. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) SAPHIER: As a physician, I don't want anyone smoking anything. The lungs are very sensitive and they don't regenerate. I do believe that if a flavor can entice an adult to quit smoking cigarettes, then maybe it's something to be considered. CARLSON: Two other Trump picks for top health positions were questioned at the hearing. That included Chris Klomp, a former health tech executive up for deputy health secretary. If confirmed, Klomp would be second in command to Kennedy. Cassidy asked Klomp about recent measles-associated deaths in Pennsylvania and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's refusal to publish the deaths on their measles website page. Klomp agreed on the need for transparency in government health agencies like the CDC and on the need for what he called proper policy discussion. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) CHRIS KLOMP: In this case, promoting vaccination for measles so that we achieve or maintain our elimination status. CARLSON: The next step is for the committee to vote on whether to recommend the nominees to the full Senate. Rachel Carlson, NPR News. (SOUNDBITE OF LETTUCE'S "PHYLLIS") Copyright © 2026 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. Accuracy and availability of NPR transcripts may vary. Transcript text may be revised to correct errors or match updates to audio. Audio on npr.org may be edited after its original broadcast or publication. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

RACHEL CARLSON, BYLINE: Saphier, a radiologist and former Fox News contributor, pitched herself as a practicing doctor and a strong communicator. At the beginning of the hearing, physician and committee chair Bill Cassidy, a Republican from Louisiana, asked Saphier about the debunked link between vaccines and autism. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) NICOLE SAPHIER: Certainly, I have not seen any evidence presented to me that it is repeatable... BILL CASSIDY: There's a little bit of wiggle room there. And I'm so sensitive to this because I've had wiggle room from people sitting there who later used that wiggle room to do things which are quite contrary. CARLSON: Saphier clarified her position on the MMR vaccine. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) SAPHIER: I believe the MMR vaccine is our greatest tool for combating measles. CASSIDY: That's great. That's great music. And does it cause autism? SAPHIER: I do not believe childhood vaccines cause autism. CARLSON: That's a departure from the position of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who would be Saphier's boss if she's confirmed, and from the position of President Trump. Vaping was another key topic at the hearing. Republican Senator Susan Collins asked Saphier to weigh in on the FDA's recent decision to allow the sale of fruit-flavored vapes. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) SAPHIER: As a physician, I don't want anyone smoking anything. The lungs are very sensitive and they don't regenerate. I do believe that if a flavor can entice an adult to quit smoking cigarettes, then maybe it's something to be considered. CARLSON: Two other Trump picks for top health positions were questioned at the hearing. That included Chris Klomp, a former health tech executive up for deputy health secretary. If confirmed, Klomp would be second in command to Kennedy. Cassidy asked Klomp about recent measles-associated deaths in Pennsylvania and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's refusal to publish the deaths on their measles website page. Klomp agreed on the need for transparency in government health agencies like the CDC and on th