When the Biden administration first moved into the White House, the appointment of Sam Brinton and Rachel Levine wasn't just another round of HR paperwork. It was a loud, clear signal. For the first time, the highest levels of the U.S. government featured openly transgender and non-binary individuals in roles with massive technical and public health responsibilities.
Politics aside, it was a moment.
But as we sit here in 2026, the trajectories of these two figures couldn't be more different. One became a steady hand in the nation’s health infrastructure during a global crisis, while the other became a cautionary tale of personal scandal that derailed a promising career in nuclear engineering.
Honestly, people often lump them together because they were "the firsts," but their actual impact on policy and their eventual exits from the federal stage are worlds apart.
The Professional Ascent of Admiral Rachel Levine
Dr. Rachel Levine didn't just appear out of nowhere. Before she was a four-star admiral, she was the Secretary of Health for Pennsylvania. You might remember her from those daily COVID-19 briefings where she had to maintain a calm, clinical demeanor while the world was essentially on fire.
In 2021, she made history as the first openly transgender person confirmed by the Senate. That’s a big deal. She took over as the Assistant Secretary for Health (ASH), leading the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.
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Key focuses during her tenure:
- The Opioid Crisis: Levine has long been an advocate for harm reduction, specifically pushing for wider access to Naloxone.
- Health Equity: She focused heavily on how zip codes and identity impact medical outcomes.
- LGBTQ+ Youth: She remained a vocal proponent of gender-affirming care, which she describes as life-saving medical treatment.
By early 2025, as the political tides shifted, Levine transitioned out of her federal role. It’s been a bit of a rough ride since then for her legacy. Just recently, in late 2025, there was a minor firestorm when reports surfaced that her official federal portrait had been modified to use her former name—an act she dismissed as "petty."
She’s still active, though. In a late 2025 interview, she reflected on the importance of "persistent leadership" and continues to speak at seminars like "Health and Gender Equity in the Modern Era." She isn't hiding; she's doubling down on the science.
The Sam Brinton Saga: From Nuclear Waste to Legal Woes
Now, Sam Brinton is a different story entirely. Brinton was brought in as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Spent Fuel and Waste Disposition. Basically, their job was to figure out what to do with the country’s nuclear trash.
They have degrees from MIT. They are legitimately brilliant in the field of nuclear engineering. But the technical brilliance was completely overshadowed by a series of bizarre legal incidents that started in late 2022.
It started with a suitcase in Minneapolis. Then another in Las Vegas.
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The timeline is kinda wild. In November 2022, Brinton was placed on leave after being charged with stealing luggage from a baggage carousel. By December, they were out of a job.
The legal fallout:
- Las Vegas: Brinton pleaded no contest to stealing a bag at Harry Reid International Airport. They had to pay over $3,600 in restitution and got a suspended jail sentence.
- Minnesota: A similar case involving a $2,300 bag led to a diversion program, mental health evaluations, and community service.
- The Designer Case: This was the one that really took over social media. A Tanzanian fashion designer, Asya Khamsin, saw photos of Brinton wearing her custom-made clothes—clothes that had gone missing from an airport years prior.
By 2024, Brinton had mostly faded from the public eye, having settled a civil case with Khamsin that included a sincere, heartfelt apology. Unlike Levine, who remains a fixture in public health discourse, Brinton’s federal career ended abruptly and remains a frequent talking point for critics of the administration’s vetting process.
Why the Comparison Matters Today
Users often search for "Sam Brinton and Rachel Levine" together because they represented a specific era of "firsts" in Washington. But when you look at the data, their contributions are distinct.
Levine stayed the course. She faced immense public scrutiny and often vitriolic personal attacks, yet she managed a massive public health apparatus for four years. She left behind a framework for addressing health disparities that many states still use.
Brinton, meanwhile, became a lightning rod for "vetting" arguments. Critics argue that the desire for a diverse cabinet led to overlooking red flags, while supporters point out that Brinton’s personal legal issues had nothing to do with their gender identity and everything to do with individual actions.
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Where Are They Now in 2026?
As of early 2026, Rachel Levine has largely returned to the academic and advocacy world. She remains a polarizing figure in the "culture wars," but her reputation as a serious medical professional remains intact among the public health community. She’s currently focusing on the intersection of climate change and health equity.
Sam Brinton has stayed remarkably quiet. Since the resolution of their various theft cases in 2024, they haven't held a public-facing role. The "luggage thief" label is a hard one to shake in the age of the internet.
Actionable Insights for Following These Stories
If you're trying to keep up with the legacy of these two figures, here is how to navigate the noise:
- Separate Policy from Persona: When reading about Levine, look at the HHS data on the Public Health Service Corps. It’s easy to get lost in the "identity" talk, but the actual administrative work she did on the opioid crisis is where her real impact lies.
- Check the Vetting Narrative: The Brinton case is often used as a "gotcha" for diversity hires. If you're researching this for a project or paper, look into the specific GS-level hiring requirements and how "career civil servant" status works. It’s more bureaucratic than most people realize.
- Monitor the Legal Precedents: The modification of Levine's official portrait and the clawback of inclusive policies in 2025/2026 are setting new legal precedents for how the federal government handles the legacy of LGBTQ+ officials. Keep an eye on the Department of Justice filings regarding gender-affirming care records, as this is the next major legal battlefield.
The stories of Sam Brinton and Rachel Levine are about more than just two people. They’re about how an institution as old and rigid as the U.S. federal government adapts—or fails to adapt—to a changing social landscape. One proved the system could work; the other proved how quickly it can fall apart.