Connection to Mike Waltz killed surgeon general pick: NYT's Maggie Haberman

New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman suggested Thursday afternoon that a connection of one of President Donald Trump's picks may have gotten her name nixed from a prominent role in his administration.

Haberman joined Jake Tapper on CNN's "The Lead" to discuss new reporting that Trump is considering Fox News co-host and former New York judge and prosecutor Jeanine Pirro to serve as interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia.

"This also comes as Trump has nominated Dr. Casey Means to be Surgeon General, even though she dropped out of her residency and hasn’t had an active medical license since last year," Tapper noted. "Trump today saying he took the recommendation of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Give us some background on all the machinations going on here."

Means’ name has been in circulation for Surgeon General since just after the election, Haberman replied. However, "a lot of people around RFK threw cold water on it and suggested this wasn’t going to happen."

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"But it’s not surprising that the HHS Secretary ended up back there," said Haberman, noting Kennedy has a relationship with the Means family.

"Callie Means actually worked with the Trump campaign as well, even before RFK endorsed the president. So this is not a surprise," Haberman said. "It does tell me that they are having some issues with certain staffing holes.

Tapper questioned why the Trump administration withdrew Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, "who was, I think, Mike Waltz’s sister-in-law?"

Haberman deadpanned, "I think you may have just answered your own question."

Nesheiwat is a physician and Fox News medical contributor whose nomination for Surgeon General was pulled. She's also sister-in-law to Waltz, Trump's former national security adviser who was dismissed from the role following Signalgate. He's since been tapped as Trump's next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

"You know, I think there were issues — questions about the education that nominee had. But I think the connection to Mike Waltz was not seen as an asset, according to all of the people who I have spoken to. And I think that the Trump White House is feeling more comfortable relying on RFK for what he wants to put in place right now," said Haberman.

Watch the clip below or at this link.