Trump Signs Order Recommending Reduction in Childhood Vaccines and Splitting MMR Shots

US President Donald Trump has signed a new executive order calling for a reduction in the number of childhood immunizations and recommending that the combined measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine be separated into three individual doses administered over time.

Under the updated guidelines issued by the White House, only 11 core vaccinations against the most severe diseases - including polio, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, and varicella - will be officially recognized as the baseline standard for all children. Immunizations for hepatitis B, COVID-19, and seasonal influenza have been removed from the universal recommendation list. The President advocated for administering vaccines across multiple medical visits rather than in combination, stating that single-dose administration reduces stress on a child's body.

However, the initiative has drawn sharp criticism from medical experts and scientific organizations. Representatives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and pediatric specialists emphasized that splitting the MMR vaccine lacks scientific justification and that delaying immunizations increases the risk of childhood infections. The executive order acts as policy guidance rather than a binding national mandate, as school immunization requirements in the United States remain under the authority of individual state governments.