Trump Signs Executive Order Establishing “Gold Standard” for Child Vaccination Recommendations

In the Oval Office on Monday, August 10, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order slashing recommended childhood vaccines to 11 and spacing them out over time.

Trump Signs Vaccine Executive Order in Oval Office

Trump signed a decree regarding the “gold standard” of vaccination recommendations on Monday, August 10, in the Oval Office. He argued that this is another step in a mission aimed at “restoring health to Americans.”

The US President advocated for reducing the number of recommended core vaccinations to 11 and spacing them out over time. “For too long, America has recommended more vaccines for children than any other comparable country, and in some cases recommended even twice as many doses as in some European countries, and sometimes even more. In many cases, we required 72 pricks for our beautiful, healthy, wonderful, and delicate small children,” Trump said.

New Administration Policy Cuts Core Vaccines to Eleven

Effective immediately, my administration recognizes as the “gold standard” childhood vaccination recommendations covering only 11 core vaccines against the most serious and dangerous diseases, as well as the MMR vaccine, which hopefully can be separated, announced the US President. He announced that vaccinations against hepatitis B, COVID-19, and influenza, along with certain other vaccinations, will no longer be recommended for all children.

Proposals to Split the MMR Vaccine Facing Expert Pushback

Trump wants the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccines to be administered separately. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that “there are no published scientific data indicating any benefit from splitting the combination MMR vaccine into three separate shots.” Although the executive order provides for a change in vaccination recommendations, individual states, rather than the federal government, have the right to require vaccinations for children attending schools, the AP news agency noted.

Axios noted that there are currently no separate measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines in the US. Companies would have to conduct clinical trials to approve each of them separately. Experts stated that separate vaccination of children against measles, mumps, and rubella will become more expensive and time-consuming. The number of measles cases in 2026 has already exceeded last year’s total, Axios noted.

Parental Rights and Autism Research Motives Questioned

Trump presented this step as an essential element of efforts to investigate the causes of autism. He described the change as a “major victory for parents’ rights.” However, the Axios portal noted that there is no evidence that the previously existing childhood vaccination schedule posed any threat to children’s health, including increasing the risk of autism. Vaccine safety experts from the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics agree that the MMR vaccine is not responsible for the recent increase in diagnosed cases of autism.