WASHINGTON — The Trump administration’s decision to scale back the vaccines it recommends be given to American children is drawing sharp pushback from many Democrats and medical associations, even as the White House and some Republicans are touting the major move as putting control in the hands of parents. 

What You Need To Know

  • The Trump administration’s decision to scale back the vaccines it recommends be given to American children is drawing sharp pushback from many Democrats and medical associations, even as the White House and some Republicans are touting the major move as putting control in the hands of parents

  • The Health and Human Services Department announced Monday that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would decrease the number of vaccines recommended for all children from 17 to 11, putting a narrower standard on which kids should receive shots for the seasonal flu, rotavirus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, some forms of meningitis or RSV

  • President Donald Trump himself took to Truth Social just after the announcement to declare the new recommendations as “rooted in the Gold Standard of Science” and a product of “COMMON SENSE," a sentiment that was echoed by some Republicans in Congress

  • Several Democratic governors, including California’s Gavin Newsom, Michigan’s Gretchen Whitmer and Massachusetts’ Maura Healey, also railed against the announcement and pledged to ensure residents of their states have access to vaccines

The Health and Human Services Department announced Monday that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would decrease the number of vaccines recommended for all children from 17 to 11, putting a narrower standard on which kids should receive shots for the seasonal flu, rotavirus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, some forms of meningitis or RSV.

The Trump administration immediately lauded the change as a successful effort to pare back “America’s Bloated Childhood Vaccination Schedule,” as White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote on X. 

“This historic action empowers parents and physicians to make the best individualized decisions to protect children while also restoring much-needed confidence in our public health system,” the press secretary added in another post. 

President Donald Trump himself took to Truth Social just after the announcement to declare the new recommendations as “rooted in the Gold Standard of Science” and a product of “COMMON SENSE.” 

Some Republicans echoed the praise of the move, with South Carolina Republican Rep. Nancy Mace writing on X that the change “prioritizes the 11 most serious and dangerous diseases while restoring parental rights and medical freedom.”

Kansas GOP Sen. Roger Marshall, meanwhile, declared it “a smart step toward restoring trust with parents.”

The president and his health officials said the change would not impact parents’ ability to have their children receive all of the vaccinations previously widely recommended if they wish. And they said insurance companies would still cover the cost of the shots. 

But the decision was met with swift rebuke from some Democrats in Congress and pediatrician groups. 

In a statement, the American Academy of Pediatrics, which includes more than 65,000 people in the profession, labeled the move “dangerous and unnecessary.”

“At a time when parents, pediatricians and the public are looking for clear guidance and accurate information, this ill-considered decision will sow further chaos and confusion and erode confidence in immunizations,” the statement read. “This is no way to make our country healthier.”

Some Democratic members of Congress pointed specifically to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – who has a long and well-documented history of vaccine skepticism – in their criticism of the change.

“Everybody needs to be vaccinated against flu and COVID-19 too—no matter what propaganda is being spread by RFK Jr.,” Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., wrote on X. “When the health secretary gives medical advice, get a second opinion.”

Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., called it a “dangerous attack on the health of our kids” in his own post. 

Several Democratic governors, including California’s Gavin Newsom, Michigan’s Gretchen Whitmer and Massachusetts’ Maura Healey, also railed against the announcement and pledged to ensure residents of their states have access to vaccines. 

“Despite federal changes to the vaccine schedule, Michigan will continue trusting the experts and providing opportunities for Michiganders to keep their families safe,” Whitmer wrote on X. “Immunizations will remain available because in Michigan we put science before politics.”

“In Massachusetts, our vaccine recommendations continue to be rooted in science and evidence,” Healey wrote in a statement. “We are making sure all Massachusetts families can get the vaccines they need to keep their children healthy.” 

Meanwhile, a key Republican on the issue, Sen. Bill Cassidy, a physician who chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, also criticized the move on X. Cassidy cast an essential vote to advance Kennedy to lead the Health and Human Services Department only after demanding and receiving certain commitments from him, including regarding vaccines. 

“Changing the pediatric vaccine schedule based on no scientific input on safety risks and little transparency will cause unnecessary fear for patients and doctors, and will make America sicker,” the Republican senator wrote on X. 

In their pushback, a few other Democrats also noted the move comes as flu activity is currently surging in the U.S.

“New York is facing the highest flu levels in over 20 years as flu rates surge across America,” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York wrote on X. “And yet, HHS just slashed children's vaccine recommendations including the flu.”

The CDC’s weekly U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report released Monday found 48 states fell into its category of seeing “high or very high” flu activity. That was an increase from 32 the week prior, which was a jump from 17 the week before that.