Ex-adviser says Trump officials put industry interests ahead of voters

Calley Means, a former adviser to health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, accused senior Trump officials of sidelining the “Make America Healthy Again” agenda to court special interests and raise money before the midterm elections. He said this contributed to Republican losses, while suggesting Donald Trump may not have known about officials’ alleged ties to industries the administration had pledged to challenge.

Means alleged that Susie Wiles and her close associates opposed measures to improve diets because of sugar-industry fundraising, and that Wiles and James Blair pressed health officials to approve flavoured vapes. Blair denied promoting flavoured vaping, said Means had misrepresented his role and threatened legal action. Means also accused Trump pollster Tony Fabrizio of opposing action on ultra-processed foods while taking money from PepsiCo; the White House rejected the broader claim that outside groups influence policy.