Trump's Health Problems Won't Stop the Grift

Trump's Health Problems Won't Stop the Grift

In a win for grassroots democracy, the group Michiganders for Money Out of Politics turned in over 562,000 signatures this week — well above the threshold needed to put a measure on the November ballot that would ban corporate donations to political causes from public utilities and large state contractors. It’s a striking contrast to the week’s other big story: a deepening portrait of federal pay-to-play, with Trump’s portfolio managers day-trading health insurer stocks while Medicare Advantage payment policy was being written, and a $5 million Big Tobacco donation to MAGA Inc. preceding a very convenient FDA vaping decision by just days. Meanwhile, the NIH is so understaffed it’s asking grad students to volunteer as grants administrators, the Ebola outbreak has become the third-largest in history, and the acting head of the infectious disease institute just quit. Trump’s Surgeon General pick is exploiting a New Jersey farm tax loophole on her $5.8 million estate, chickenpox parties are making a comeback, and RFK Jr. got bitten by a snake at Dr. Oz’s house. Plus, Dr. Rob administered a cognitive test to legendary journalist Jim Acosta on his show. We interviewed him after the test to discuss his results and why Trump would be bragging about passing such an easy test. * Michigan Public: Petition drive to get “money out of politics” submits signatures for ballot campaign [https://www.michiganpublic.org/politics-government/2026-05-28/petition-drive-to-get-money-out-of-politics-submits-signatures-for-ballot-campaign] * Becker’s Payer Issues: Trump’s portfolio traded 7 health insurer stocks amid MA rate discourse [https://www.beckerspayer.com/payer/medicare-advantage/trumps-portfolio-traded-7-health-insurer-stocks-amid-ma-rate-discourse/] * The Hill: FDA approves some flavored vapes after reports of Trump pressure [https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5864811-fda-approves-flavored-vapes/] * The New York Times: A $5 Million Donation From Big Tobacco Preceded F.D.A. Vape Decision [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/20/us/politics/donation-big-tobacco-vaping.html] * Brennan Center for Justice: Unprecedented Big Money Surge for Super PAC Tied to Trump [https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/unprecedented-big-money-surge-super-pac-tied-trump] * Reuters: Acting head of US NIH infectious disease institute has left, senators say [https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/acting-head-us-nih-infectious-disease-institute-has-left-senators-say-2026-05-21/] * The New York Times: Trump Administration to Send Americans Exposed to Ebola to Kenya [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/26/us/politics/trump-ebola-kenya.html] * The Hill: Key takeaways from Trump’s Cabinet meeting: Iran, Ebola, midterms [https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5898065-trump-cabinet-meeting-iran-ebola/] * Wikipedia: Great Barrington Declaration [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Barrington_Declaration] * MedPage Today: CDC Chief Orders 2 Americans to Quarantine Over Hantavirus Concern [https://www.medpagetoday.com/publichealthpolicy/publichealth/121369] * The New York Times: Health Experts ‘Stunned’ by Trump Officials’ Strict Quarantine Measures [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/21/us/hantavirus-ebola-quarantine-trump.html] * STAT: NIH behind in filling top roles, with 15 of 27 institutes led by acting directors [https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/20/nih-leadership-questions-15-of-27-institutes-acting-directors/] * NATURE: NIH staffing shortage could slash number of new grants issued this year [https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-01537-1] * The Hill: GOP House rep’s wife to perform duties of U.S. surgeon general [https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5887225-stephanie-haridopolos-surgeon-general/] * Nicole Saphier’s Instagram post saying she’s only pretending to be a doctor is HERE [https://www.instagram.com/reels/DJZFHk7txR6/] * POLITICO: Nicole Saphier is Trump’s pick for surgeon general. She’s also a ‘farmer’ in New Jersey — and gets a tax break. [https://www.politico.com/news/2026/05/21/radiologist-by-trade-farmer-on-the-side-how-trumps-surgeon-general-pick-uses-a-tax-loophole-in-new-jersey-00930676] * WIRED: The Backward Logic of Chickenpox Parties [https://www.wired.com/story/chickenpox-parties-and-the-pre-vaccine-internet/] * RFK Jr.’s post showing him catching snakes is HERE [https://x.com/RobertKennedyJr/status/2059273262220115998] * Video of RFK Jr. at Trump cabinet meeting talking about circumcision again is HERE [https://x.com/factpostnews/status/2059352723795931186] * MedPage Today: After 3-Hour Medical Visit, Trump Says ‘Everything Checked Out PERFECTLY’ [https://www.medpagetoday.com/washington-watch/washington-watch/121437] * Trump on Truth Social referencing his medical visit is HERE [https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116641867405994600] * NPR: Trump to get ‘routine annual’ medical exam 7 months after last visit to Walter Reed [https://www.npr.org/2026/05/25/nx-s1-5833855/trump-medical-checkup] * Dr. Rob Davidson administers a cognitive exam to Jim Acosta HERE [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmSlNruP07k] * The Jim Acosta Show on Substack is HERE [https://jimacosta.substack.com/] Join the fight at committeetoprotect.org. Subscribe, share, and leave a rating to help more people find Paging America. Have thoughts, questions, or your own health care story? Email us at feedback@pagingamerica.org. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.pagingamerica.org/subscribe [https://www.pagingamerica.org/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

MEMORIAL DAY WITH STEVE SCHMIDT, PLUS I TAKE THE COGNITIVE TEST, WITH DR. ROB DAVIDSON

Thank you Dani Smart [https://substack.com/profile/80855177-dani-smart], Peter W Shuster [https://substack.com/profile/117154132-peter-w-shuster], Bird Mama [https://substack.com/profile/300009110-bird-mama], Katherine Cooper [https://substack.com/profile/22009644-katherine-cooper], CO [https://substack.com/profile/287851315-co], and many others for tuning into my live video with Jim Acosta [https://substack.com/profile/36455327-jim-acosta] and Steve Schmidt [https://substack.com/profile/279803574-steve-schmidt]! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.pagingamerica.org/subscribe [https://www.pagingamerica.org/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Purges and Implants and Grifting.. Oh My!

This week on the show, the Supreme Court has punted mifepristone access back to the notoriously hostile Fifth Circuit — a short-term win for advocates, but a longer-term gift to Republicans hoping to dodge the issue before the midterms. We break down what the ruling actually means and where Alito and Thomas signaled they want the case to go. Then we get into the chaotic state of public health leadership: the Trump administration tapped a penile implant specialist with a YouTube show called Erection Connection to front its hantavirus press conference. The surgeon general position remains vacant — until now, sort of, filled temporarily by a congressman’s wife. Plus: RFK Jr. is reclassifying hundreds of senior HHS career staff to strip their civil service protections, fired the leadership of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force without explanation, and his MAHA allies are celebrating after Sen. Bill Cassidy lost his Louisiana primary. We also look at stock trades suggesting Trump may have profited from insider knowledge on Eli Lilly’s GLP-1 drugs, the administration’s push to make European countries pay more for pharmaceuticals so Americans pay less, a quiet reversal on ACIP’s new charter, and TrumpRx’s new partnership with Mark Cuban’s Cost Plus Drugs. Plus, our interview with State Rep. Donovan McKinney, where he discusses Michiganders for Money Out of Politics, also known as Mop Up Michigan. It’s a ballot initiative to curb corporate influence in politics and address economic disparities. Representing the state’s lowest-income district, McKinney argues that corporate monopoly money stifles legislative action on crucial issues like rising healthcare costs and affordability. Background Reading: * The Hill: Supreme Court preserves abortion pill access over Alito, Thomas dissents [https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5879032-mifepristone-abortion-pills-ruling/] * ABORTION, EVERY DAY: Republicans Aren’t Done With Mifepristone [https://jessica.substack.com/p/republicans-arent-done-with-mifepristone] * CNN: Penile implant specialist with history of far-right comments led hantavirus presser [https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/15/politics/brian-christine-vaccine-skepticism-history] * KFF Health News: Trump Bought Stock in Drugmaker as His Government Boosted Its Obesity Drugs [https://kffhealthnews.org/health-industry/trump-stock-trades-eli-lilly-glp-1-weight-loss-drugs-invest-ethics-disclosures/] * The Hill: GOP House rep’s wife to perform duties of U.S. surgeon general [https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5887225-stephanie-haridopolos-surgeon-general/] * STAT: Kennedy names interim surgeon general amid vacancies atop health department [https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/20/kennedy-names-stephanie-haridopolos-interim-surgeon-general/] * Bloomberg (via MSN): RFK Jr. taps Haridopolos as temporary surgeon general [https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/rfk-jr-taps-stephanie-haridopolos-as-temporary-surgeon-general/ar-AA23B7fx] * POLITICO: RFK Jr.’s department to make it easier to fire career staff [https://www.politico.com/news/2026/05/15/rfk-civil-service-job-protections-00925102] * POLITICO: RFK Jr. fires leaders of group that determines what insurers must cover [https://www.politico.com/news/2026/05/20/rfk-uspstf-preventive-care-task-force-00930447] * STAT: Top U.S. officials pressured Germany to pay more for prescription drugs [https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/15/trump-administration-presses-germany-presciption-drug-prices/] * Rep. Donavan McKinney’s House Dems webpage is HERE [https://housedems.com/donavan-mckinney/] * Planet Detroit: As Michigan insurance costs rise, ballot drive highlights Blue Cross lobbying [https://planetdetroit.org/2026/05/blue-cross-michigan-political-spending/] * The Michiganders for Money Out of Politics (Mop Up Michigan) website is HERE [https://mopupmichigan.org/] Join the fight at committeetoprotect.org [http://committeetoprotect.org/]. Subscribe, share, and leave a rating to help more people find Paging America. Have thoughts, questions, or your own health care story? Email us at feedback@pagingamerica.org [feedback@pagingamerica.org] This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.pagingamerica.org/subscribe [https://www.pagingamerica.org/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Polling the MAHA Voter

With the midterm elections looming, a staggering 41% of Americans now identify with the MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) movement. But who are these voters, and what do they actually want? Host Miles welcomes KFF Senior Survey Manager Lunna Lopes to go past the talking points and look straight at the data. Lunna shares surprising insights from KFF’s latest health tracking poll, revealing a diverse, cross-partisan electorate that cares deeply about kitchen-table issues like the cost of health care. Tune in to find out where these voters put their trust, how they view federal agencies like the FDA and CDC, and what both parties need to know to win them over in November. References: * The Washington Post: Why 41 percent of Americans say they identify with the MAHA movement [https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2026/05/06/maha-health-care-costs-poll/] * KFF Health Tracking Poll: MAHA and the Midterms [https://www.kff.org/public-opinion/kff-health-tracking-poll-maha-and-the-midterms/] Join the fight at committeetoprotect.org [http://committeetoprotect.org]. Subscribe, share, and leave a rating to help more people find Paging America. Have thoughts, questions, or your own health care story? Email us at feedback@pagingamerica.org [feedback@pagingamerica.org]. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.pagingamerica.org/subscribe [https://www.pagingamerica.org/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

"Under-babied and over-medicated"

This week in health policy chaos: Mifepristone remains available for now after a series of last-minute court stays, but the Trump DOJ's silence in the case has legal experts baffled. FDA Commissioner Marty Makary resigned rather than approve fruit-flavored vapes — beating Trump to the punch. A hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship exposed serious gaps in U.S. public health response, with CDC teams slow to act and the Vessel Sanitation Program gutted by DOGE cuts. RFK Jr. is reportedly exploring restrictions on widely used antidepressants like Zoloft and Prozac, while quietly running a sprawling investigation to link vaccines to chronic disease. And at a White House event for expectant mothers, Dr. Oz worried about America being "under-babied" and promoted "Trump babies," while RFK Jr. warned about declining sperm counts. Background reading: * The Hill: Supreme Court extends pause on abortion pill restrictions through Thursday [https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5872986-abortion-pills-mail-access-supreme-court/] * NPR: With legal briefs in, Supreme Court weighs telehealth access for the abortion pill [https://www.npr.org/2026/05/07/nx-s1-5815294/abortion-pill-mifepristone-supreme-court-telemedicine] * NBC News: Trump weighs firing Dr. Marty Makary as FDA chief [https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/trump-weighs-firing-dr-marty-makary-fda-chief-rcna344274] * The Hill: FDA approves some flavored vapes after reports of Trump pressure [https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5864811-fda-approves-flavored-vapes/] * The New York Times: F.D.A. Commissioner Marty Makary Resigns After Weeks of Pressure [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/12/us/politics/trump-fires-fda-commissioner-makary.html] * The New York Times: Hantavirus Response Shows How Trump Cuts Have Compromised U.S. Preparedness [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/07/health/hantavirus-americans-cdc.html] * The Hill: RFK Jr.: ‘We’re not worried’ about hantavirus spreading after cruise ship outbreak [https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5872730-kennedy-hantavirus-situation-update/] * NBC News: U.S. departure from WHO could hinder hantavirus response [https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/us-trump-who-departure-hinder-hantavirus-response-rcna344031] * Futurism: The CDC Fired All Its Cruise Ship Inspectors Before the Hantavirus Outbreak [https://futurism.com/health-medicine/cdc-cruise-ship-inspectors-hantavirus-outbreak] * Reuters: Kennedy’s health officials explored US ban of some widely used antidepressants [https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/kennedys-health-officials-explored-us-ban-some-widely-used-antidepressants-2026-05-08/] * CNN Health: RFK Jr. launches plan to address ‘overuse’ of psychiatric medications [https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/05/health/rfk-jr-overprescribing-psychiatric-drugs-wellness] * The New York Times: Kennedy Starts a Push to Help Americans Quit Antidepressants [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/04/science/rfk-antidepressants-ssris-hhs-maha.html] * The New York Times: Kennedy Is Driving a Vast Inquiry Into Vaccines, Despite His Public Silence [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/11/health/kennedy-vaccine-safety.html] * Moms.gov [https://moms.gov] * Dr. Oz’s “under-babied” comments are HERE [https://x.com/atrupar/status/2053859826665451840] * Dr. Oz’s “Trump babies” comments are HERE [https://x.com/atrupar/status/2053871965471969779] * PEOPLE: RFK Jr. Says Men in the ‘70s Had Twice as Much Sperm as Teenage Boys Today: ‘Existential Crisis [https://people.com/rfk-jr-says-men-in-the-70s-had-twice-as-much-sperm-as-teenage-boys-today-existential-crisis-11972098] Join the fight at committeetoprotect.org [http://committeetoprotect.org]. Subscribe, share, and leave a rating to help more people find Paging America. Have thoughts, questions, or your own health care story? Email us at feedback@pagingamerica.org [feedback@pagingamerica.org]. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.pagingamerica.org/subscribe [https://www.pagingamerica.org/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]