Trump Signs Executive Order Overhauling Childhood Vaccine Schedule, Splitting MMR Shot
On August 10, 2026, President Trump signed an executive order establishing "Gold Standard Childhood Vaccine Recommendations," reducing the number of vaccines universally recommended for all children from 17-18 diseases to 11 and directing that shots such as hepatitis A, hepatitis B and RSV be recommended only for high-risk children or via shared clinical decision-making. The order calls for the combined MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine to be split into three individual shots given at separate doctor visits, and directs the Department of Justice to investigate and challenge state laws restricting religious or medical exemptions to school vaccine mandates. Trump repeated claims, unsupported by scientific evidence, linking childhood vaccines to autism. The American Academy of Pediatrics and American Medical Association strongly criticized the order as not science-based, warning it could cause confusion and lower immunization rates at a time when U.S. measles cases are at a 35-year high. The order also revived vaccine policy as a contested issue ahead of the November 2026 midterm elections.