
PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) -- Former President Donald Trump Saturday announced via a press release he was endorsing Dr. Mehmet Oz for the U.S. Senate race in Pa.
In the endorsement, Trump added that he has “known Dr. Oz for many years, as have many others, even if only through his successful television show,” and that Oz has told him to lose a couple of pounds.”
Oz has worked as a surgeon and professor. He is also an advocate for alternative medicine.
Born in Cleveland, Ohio, to Turkish immigrants, Oz grew up in Delaware and graduated from Harvard University in 1982. He went on to earn an M.D. degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and an M.B.A. from the Wharton School of Business in 1986.
Following the publication of his 2005 book YOU: The Owner’s Manual, Oz appeared on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and later wrote other books and hosted the daily talk show “The Dr. Oz Show.”
However, Oz has been criticized by some in the medical community.
Last year, Oz announced he would run as a Republican for a Pennsylvania Senate seat and cited the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic as his motivation to run. He is one of several Republicans running in the primary on May 17.
Previously, Trump endorsed Sean Parnell, who dropped out of the race after allegations of abuse from his estranged wife surfaced. Hedge fund CEO David McCormick, whose wife, Dina Powell, served in Trump's administration, is also running in the primary.