WITH President Donald Trump at the White House, many American doctors welcome the new administration’s increased focus on health and wellness.
The Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative — led by future Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — aims to improve nutrition, eliminate toxins, preserve natural habitats and fight the chronic disease epidemic, according to its website.
Several doctors shared with Fox News Digital what they hope and expect to see on health front over the next four years.
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‘Return to community and family’
As Trump takes back the White House, Dr. Marc Siegel, senior medical analyst for Fox News, said he is looking forward to the increased focus on mental health.
President Donald Trump leaves the indoor presidential inauguration parade in Washington on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) (AP Newsroom)
“The mental health epidemic is getting worse, including among our teenagers,” he told Fox News Digital — a problem he said is being exacerbated by the “excessive use of social media.”
“The best approach is connection and going back to the time of the community and family priorities” said Siegel, who is also a clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Health. “I hope President Trump will emphasize that.”
“The best approach is to connect and return to a time of community and family priorities.”
The doctor is also optimistic that the new administration will focus on pandemic preparedness, based on lessons learned from COVID-19.
In particular, Siegel said he hopes for increased oversight, advances in biotechnology and use artificial intelligence for monitoring threats.
Personalized medicine will also be a focus of the Trump White House, Siegel predicted, along with the increased use of wearable devices.
Personalized medicine will also be a focus of the Trump White House, Siegel predicted, along with the increased use of wearable devices. (CyberGuy.com)
“We could save hundreds of billions of dollars with DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) and HHS focused on health care instead of patient care,” Siegel said.
“The focus will be on wellness, lifestyle, exercise and nutrition,” he added, along with “the war against.” ultra-processed food.”
‘Aspirational’ health and happiness
dr. Ken Berry, a family physician and diabetes specialist from Tennessee, shared with Fox News Digital that he hopes Trump’s presidency will be “a new golden age for American Health.”
“For too long, the practice of medicine has been polluted by corporate profits, questionable research, silenced doctors and misleading public statements,” said Berry, who helps patients overcome obesity, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
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“I hope to see a careful re-evaluation of all existing research, a restoration of the smooth doctor-patient relationship, an end to direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising, and an end to the misleading health claims of Big Food,” Berry continued. .
The doctor also encourages “strong efforts” to educate Americans about truly healthy foods and life choicesalong with “a renewed cultural appreciation of the idea that being healthy and happy is not only attainable, but desirable.”
Public health in priority
dr. Robert Lufkin, a California physician who is also a professor of medicine at UCLA and USC, applauded the new administration’s goal to address the rise in chronic diseases, including a focus on lifestyle factors and chemical exposures.
“I’m excited about possible health actions from this administration in several areas,” he shared with Fox News Digital.
One doctor said he hopes President Trump will emphasize the connection between families and communities. (iStock)
Specifically, Lufkin said the new administration aims to “prioritize research into environmental triggers such as pesticides, industrial pollutants and food additives.”
“They also plan to advocate for transparency in corporate practices and stricter regulation of industries that contribute to environmental degradation,” he added.
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Lufkin also highlighted MAHA’s goal of improving food and nutrition safety and reducing exposure to unhealthy substances.
“This could be achieved by regulating harmful ingredients such as artificial sweeteners, high fructose corn syrup and chemical additives in processed foods,” he said.
Lufkin also supports the administration’s goal to limit junk food for public assistance programs and incentives local and sustainable agriculture.
Shifting the focus of the health system from treatment to prevention is an important part of MAHA’s agenda, noted one doctor. (iStock)
Shifting the focus of the healthcare system from treatment to prevention is another important part of MAHA’s agenda, the doctor noted.
This could include spreading alternative and holistic therapies and educating the public about the importance of lifestyle changes, including exercise, proper nutrition and stress management, he pointed out.
“Another goal is to reduce drug dependency and encourage the use of natural treatments and drug-free interventions for common conditions,” Lufkin said.
The doctor also welcomed the new administration’s plans to fight corporate influence in health care and to “examine the pharmaceutical and chemical industry’s values of prioritizing profits over public health.”
Transparency of healthcare costs
dr. Shana Johnson, a physical medicine and rehabilitation doctor in Scottsdale, Ariz., said she hopes the Trump administration will continue to build on its policy of increasing price transparency for clinics, hospitals, health insurers and drug companies.
“Hidden pricing, which has been manipulated many times, has allowed Americans to be overcharged and taken advantage of, whether it’s generic drugs that are marked up by 1,000% or an emergency room visit for dehydration that costs $5,000,” she told Fox News Digital.
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In many cases, she noted, prices are “essentially hidden and manipulated,” meaning the consumer has no idea of the cost base or true value of the service.
“I’m seeing more price manipulation to make it look like health insurance is paying for the services, when they’re actually charging for the service,” she said.
“For example, if I pay cash for a mammogram, it’s cheaper than using my health insurance,” Johnson continued. “That goes for generic drugs, too.”
Mental health resilience
The Trump administration has an “excellent opportunity” to address America’s growing mental health crisis, according to Jonathan Alpert, a psychotherapist in Manhattan and Washington, D.C.
“I truly believe that the Trump administration has an opportunity and a responsibility to address mental health in a way that helps people build resilience and not just pander to political or cultural trends,” he told Fox News Digital.
The Trump administration has a “great opportunity” to address America’s growing mental health crisis, a psychotherapist has noted. (iStock)
One of Alpert’s big concerns, he said, is that the “revival” culture may be inadvertently contributing to the mental health crisis.
“While it is important to validate emotions and acknowledge systemic challenges, there is a growing trend to over-pathologize normal human struggles and promote victimhood as an identity,” Alpert said.
Instead of “overemphasizing individual trauma or identity-based grievances,” Alpert calls for a focus on responsibility and personal growth.
“We need policies that encourage confidence and mental toughness, while also supporting those who are truly struggling.”
“We need policies that encourage self-confidence and mental fortitude while also supporting those who are truly struggling,” he said.
In the Trump administration, Alpert said he hopes to see a commitment to mental health initiatives that encourage support and personal responsibility.
“Not every challenge is trauma, not every disagreement is harmful, and not every failure stems from systemic oppression.” (iStock)
“This includes improving access to therapy, but also addressing how social media, divisive rhetoric and identity politics affect young people’s sense of self-worth and mental health,” he said.
“There is a real danger in allowing cultural narratives to dictate how we approach mental health, turning it into a political battleground instead of a space for growth.”
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“Not every challenge is trauma, not every disagreement is harmful, and not every failure stems from systemic oppression,” Alpert continued.
Rather than encouraging victimization, therapy should help people take ownership of their lives, develop resilience and thrive despite adversity, according to the psychotherapist.
Prosperity through health
As Donald Trump takes office, the US looks to his administration with hopes of “significant improvements in public health,” according to Dr. Brett Osborn, Florida neurosurgeon and longevity expert.
“The key expectation is a commitment to reform health policy to make it more accessible and affordable,” he told Fox News Digital.
Doctors support MAHA’s goal of improving food and nutrition safety and reducing exposure to unhealthy substances. (iStock)
“This could include encouraging competition in health care market (thereby lowering insurance premiums), increasing price transparency at the hospital level, and expanding coverage options to ensure that families at all income levels receive adequate care.”
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Osborn also hopes the administration will tackle obesity by encouraging healthier food options, more explicit nutrition labeling and supporting physical activity initiatives in schools.
“Furthermore, addressing food supply issues in underserved areas could promote better access to fresh, nutrient-dense food, reducing diet-related diseases such as diabetes and heart disease“, he added.
“Without health at the individual and national level, the nation will continue to falter.”
Another expectation is an emphasis on preventive rather than reactive care, according to Osborne.
“Encouraging regular health checkups to identify risk factors for disease and supporting wellness education campaigns could significantly reduce the burden of preventable disease,” he said.
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Ultimately, Osborn continued, the new administration has the potential to do so prioritize health — “not only as a matter of policy, but as a cornerstone of national prosperity.”
“Without health at the individual and national level, the nation will continue to stumble,” the doctor said.
“However, as President Trump said during his inaugural address, ‘From this moment forward, America’s decline is over.'”
