The Trump administration announced Wednesday it will release $600 million in congressionally appropriated funds for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, reversing a freeze imposed last year by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over unsubstantiated vaccine safety concerns.
The State Department said the turnaround came after Gavi made “significant commitments that strengthen vaccine safety, improve public health, and better align Gavi’s work with the principles of Gold Standard Science and transparency.” Specifically, Gavi agreed to cease “promotion and procurement” of COVID-19 vaccines for routine immunization programs and to reduce its Geneva staffing. The alliance also granted the U.S. a seat on its board and pledged to allow American oversight of vaccine safety.
“President Trump has made clear that American leadership in global health must be rooted in accountability, scientific excellence, and measurable results,” the State Department said in its press release.
Kennedy, a longtime vaccine skeptic, framed the reversal as a victory, citing Gavi’s commitment to eliminate “mercury-laced vaccines” from its programs. In a social media statement, he alleged “glaringly racist policies” under the Biden administration allowed Gavi to “inject more than 72 million African and Asian children with cheap jabs containing bolus doses of the world’s most potent neurotoxin.” Kennedy and anti-vaccine groups have linked thimerosal—a mercury-based preservative in some vaccines—to autism and neurodevelopmental disorders, though no proven evidence supports that claim.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, GAVI has agreed to eliminate mercury from the vaccines it provides to children,” Kennedy wrote Wednesday. “This is an enormous victory for global health.”
Dr. Sania Nishtar, Gavi’s CEO, expressed “deep gratitude” for U.S. support in a Thursday statement. “This investment will help us to strengthen global defences against outbreaks and pandemics and protect more children from preventable diseases,” she said. “The United States’ partnership has been a key contributor to Gavi’s success in immunizing over 1.2 billion children since 2000 and we look forward to renewing this partnership.”
The funding decision comes amid broader political dynamics, including Rand Paul's shift from Trump critic to key ally in the Senate, where budget battles have seen Senate GOP reject Trump's budget ultimatum. The move also follows Trump's endorsement of Biden's Fauci pardon and questions over autopen use.
Critics note that Kennedy’s initial freeze threatened to disrupt childhood immunization in low-income countries, while supporters hail the new terms as a win for vaccine safety oversight. The U.S. remains Gavi’s largest donor, and the unfrozen funds will help sustain its work protecting children from preventable diseases.
