President Donald Trump is considering drastic measures on childhood vaccines and autism after making it a “personal issue.”
Multiple sources told The Washington Post the Trump administration is drafting an executive order centered around the childhood vaccine schedule and autism. The move is likely influenced by the president’s own opinions on the subject, as one insider told the outlet he had repeatedly aired his own theories in private conversations.
Sources cited by Bloomberg said the move was driven by Trump’s desire to see “additional action” taken on the matter. The order will focus on the childhood immunization schedule, autism research, and parental choice, the Post reported, though it is unclear when it will take effect.
Trump, 80, has made vaccine policy a major issue within his second administration. He has frequently questioned whether there’s a link between the number of childhood vaccines and autism, even since before his son Barron was old enough to be diagnosed.
Trump told the Sun-Sentinel in 2007 that he and his wife, Melania Trump, were “very, very conservative” with scheduling vaccines for Barron, who was only 22-months old at the time.
“We’ve taken him on a very slow process. He gets one shot at a time, then we wait a few months and give him another shot, the old-fashioned way,” Trump told the outlet. “But today they pump the children with so much at a very young age.”
“Everybody has their theory,” he added. “My theory—and I study it because I have young children—my theory is the shots.”
The Daily Beast has reached out to HHS and the White House for comment.
Trump shares similar skeptical views on vaccines as his health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., despite decades of research failing to produce a proven link between vaccines and autism.
In March, a federal judge struck down Kennedy’s initial attempts to shake up the childhood immunization schedule, which included reducing the number of recommended vaccines for children.
Since then, the health secretary has worked more on his “Make America Healthy Again” agenda, opting to focus on food instead. Last week, Kennedy launched the first episode of his new cooking program, The Real Food Show, which highlights affordable meals that adhere to his dietary guidelines.
However, it seems that vaccines are still on the agenda for Kennedy. During a Cabinet meeting last week, the president asked him for an update on autism research, to which he replied, “We will have an answer for you.”
