The White House is expected to pull its nomination of Dr. Janette Nesheiwat as U.S. surgeon general just a day before she was expected to appear before the Senate for her confirmation hearing, sources told ABC News.
When announcing his intent to nominate Nesheiwat to the post in November, President Donald Trump touted Nesheiwat, a former Fox News contributor, for working on the front lines in New York City during the coronavirus pandemic.
Dr Janette Nesheiwat attends the 2023 FOX Nation Patriot Awards, Nov. 16, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Terry Wyatt/Getty Images
The news comes as right-wing activist Laura Loomer called on the president to pick a new nominee after it came to light that Nesheiwat received her medical degree from American University of the Caribbean instead of the University of Arkansas. Loomer also criticized Nesheiwat for being pro-vaccine.
The White House has not responded to ABC News’ requests for comment.
Nesheiwat is the sister-in-law of former national security adviser Mike Waltz, who was removed from his post last week and nominated to be the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
Waltz came under fire after it was revealed he was part of a Signal group chat with national security team members, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in which they discussed impending military plans and inadvertently invited The Atlantic Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg to the chat.