Trump Orders Fewer Childhood Vaccines and Splits MMR Shots

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday calling for a reduction in recommended childhood vaccines from 18 to 11 and recommending that the combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) shot be administered as separate injections. The move drew immediate condemnation from leading medical bodies, and revived Trump's longstanding — but scientifically refuted — claims linking vaccines to autism.

What the Order Says

Speaking in the Oval Office, Trump stated his administration would recognise only 11 core vaccinations as the gold standard: measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Haemophilus influenzae type B, pneumococcal disease, human papillomavirus and chickenpox. Trump called the combined MMR vaccine potentially lethal given at once, comparing it to pouring a bottle of soda into a child's body. When asked for evidence, he replied: "What I've heard is that there are some people that say it is that way."

Medical Community Reacts

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) described the order as "dangerous." The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states there is no published scientific evidence of any benefit to splitting the MMR vaccine. Experts warn that spacing out jabs raises the risk of children catching diseases in the interim. Multiple large studies have found no connection between the MMR vaccine and autism.

Scope of the Order

The order is guidance, not a federal mandate: school vaccination requirements are set by individual US states. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the changes aim to give parents greater choice. Since 2025, Kennedy has sought to ease vaccine regulations across the board.