Trump Praises Vaccines While RFK Jr. Reshapes CDC Panels and States Target Mandates

President Trump publicly praised certain vaccines in a press event while HHS Secretary RFK Jr. simultaneously oversaw the reconstitution of CDC advisory panels with skeptics and the removal of career vaccine scientists. The contradiction played out as multiple Republican-led states moved to eliminate vaccine mandates for schools and healthcare workers. Public health experts warned the mixed messaging was accelerating vaccine hesitancy at a critical moment for childhood disease prevention.