The Trump administration announced it will not provide US government funding to the World Health Organization (WHO) through Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. The decision follows a long-running feud between former President Donald Trump and the UN group, with some sources framing the outcome as a result of negotiated reforms and others as part of that ongoing conflict.
In a joint statement issued by the US State Department and the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the administration also released $600 million in congressionally appropriated funding to Gavi. The funding, designated for fiscal years 2025 and 2026, had been blocked for months due to reasons related to the vaccines used and oversight of funds.
US President Donald Trump directed HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to negotiate reforms with Gavi as a condition for renewed US support. The talks produced commitments described by the administration as advancing "vaccine safety" and aligning with "Gold Standard Science."
As part of the reforms, Gavi agreed to work toward replacing mercury-containing vaccines—including meningococcal A, pentavalent DTP-Hib-HepB, pneumococcal, and hepatitis B—with mercury-free alternatives.
Republican Senator Susan Collins announced the State Department's decision to release the funding via a written statement. The release is a reversal of a decision last year by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to halt US funding to Gavi.
In a statement, Kennedy said the US needed to "ensure that meaningful reforms were made before considering supporting the organization."