The proposal remains fluid, but its potential impact is already exposing tensions inside the administration and beyond it. Yet the science behind some claims remains firmly disputed.
The White House is considering a possible executive order targeting the childhood vaccination schedule and autism research at the initiative of President Donald Trump, according to an administration official familiar with its development.
The order is expected to focus on the childhood vaccination schedule and autism research, but the scope and timing of the action have not yet been determined and could change.
In recent months, Trump has pressured senior officials, including Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to prioritize increased oversight of vaccines – despite concerns among many of his aides and political advisers that raising the issue could hurt Republicans ahead of the November elections.
Kennedy’s initial efforts last year to review the government’s approach to vaccines and recommendations to reduce the number of vaccinations drew a sharp backlash from the powerful pharmaceutical industry and divided some voters across both parties.
The reaction led administration officials to urge HHS, under Kennedy’s leadership, to shift its focus toward more “conventional” issues ahead of the midterm campaign, including drug pricing and insurance.
Behind the scenes: The future direction of vaccine policy
Nevertheless, behind the scenes, Trump continues to pressure Kennedy and others, calling for more aggressive action on vaccines and, in particular, an investigation into the causes of autism.
Trump has suggested a possible link between vaccines and autism at several meetings and in interviews, although extensive research has found no evidence of such a connection.
He has also suggested that the childhood vaccination schedule should be reduced further, citing possible safety concerns, although there is no scientific support for such claims.
“I believe in vaccines, but I don’t think, you know, that you need to have every one of them be mandatory,” Trump said in a May interview. “I do believe that vaccines, if given in smaller numbers – they want to eliminate some of them, and that’s good too. I agree with that.”
– Donald Trump
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Reports emerged that a possible new executive order was under consideration.
Kennedy, formerly known as an anti-vaccine activist, promised during his first Cabinet meeting to significantly expand autism research, including by launching new initiatives to study vaccines.
However, according to two administration officials, the initiative is moving slowly: HHS has made little significant progress, prompting frustration among some White House and health officials.
Ultimately, analysts note that the administration remains divided between a desire to project toughness on vaccine policy and an effort to avoid making the issue overly politicized.