Disclaimer

This is an opinion piece engaging the author and author-only viewpoint.

By Justine Dukmedjian.

On August 5th 2025, a bombshell came from the US Department of Health and Human Services: the DHHS is to terminate 22 contracts for the production of mRNA-based vaccines [8]. All in all, it represents half a billion dollars in funding cuts [5]. 

This is not the first time that the DHHS under the guidance of Secretary Robert F. Kennedy suddenly stops financing the development of mRNA vaccines. In late May, vaccine-maker and mRNA-vaccine pioneer Moderna lost nearly $600 million in funding for the late-stage development of an mRNA-vaccine against H5 avian influenza viruses [9] [2]. The announcement came in the midst of an unprecedented H5N1 epizootic disease that has been spreading throughout the US for nearly 18 months, and has even resulted in human fatalities[1]. The decision was a huge blow to Moderna. Not only had the company proven itself during the Covid-19 pandemic, but the clinical trial results were promising at a time when the US is in dire need for an effective vaccine against the H5N1 strain. Indeed, on May 28th 2025, almost on the day that the DHHS announced cancelling its contract, Moderna announced positive results in the “interim analysis of the Phase ½ study of [their] H5 avian flu vaccine”, according to its CEO, Stéphane Bancel [6]. DHHS Communications director Andrew Nixon especially cites concerns over the lack of testing of mRNA technology to justify the cancellation: “The reality is that mRNA technology remains under-tested, and we are not going to spend taxpayer dollars repeating the mistakes of the last administration, which concealed legitimate safety concerns for the public.” [2]. 

RFK used on August 5th the same rhetoric to justify the $500 million cut. In a video published that day on social media, he claimed that mRNA vaccines are not that useful in protecting people against viruses attacking the upper respiratory tract. He had previously called mRNA Covid shots “the deadliest vaccine ever made” [5]. 

That RFK distrusts mRNA shots is not surprising, given his general distrust of vaccines [7]. What is noteworthy, though, is the underlying criticism against President Trump in the DHHS’s justification of the funding cancellations. After all, let us not forget that we owe to him and his Covid-era OWSVI (Operation Warp Speed Vaccine Initiative) the widespread use and development of mRNA vaccine technology. Indeed, when in May 2020, then-President Trump announced OSWI – a public-private partnership aimed at accelerating the development, manufacturing and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines (as well as therapeutics and diagnostics) – he gave Moderna and Pfizer the opportunity to massively produce and market the first-ever mRNA vaccines [13]. 

Trump once called mRNA vaccines a “medical miracle” and some consider their development a cornerstone of President Trump’s first-term legacy, as they significantly helped stop the Covid-19 pandemic [10] [11]. Yet, five years later, after he assumed office for the second time, he no longer praises mRNA vaccines. On the contrary, he seems to passively accept the substantial budget cuts targeting them, spearheaded by his controversial Health Secretary. Though we are not here to debate the merits of mRNA vaccines against “traditional” ones –according to experts, both have their advantages and their drawbacks–, the change of tune on President Trump’s end is worth noticing [4] [12] . It is as if he almost lets RFK and the DHHS run afoul, undermining mRNA vaccines, and therefore his legacy. When asked by reporters about the budget cuts, President Trump said “That was now a long time ago, and we’re onto other things”, adding that “[we are] looking for other answers to other problems, to other sicknesses and diseases.”, according to the New York Times [11]. 

That answer was at best enigmatic, and President Trump clearly refused to address head-on the issue of RFK and DHHS’s undermining of mRNA vaccines. If it turns out that the DHHS is right and there are some scientific and/or ethical concerns arising from the manufacturing and administration of mRNA shots, a clear mea culpa from President Trump for his help in their quick development would be understandable and acceptable. More than that: it would show some tremendous political courage to admit that he might have acted too rashly, even if it was with the best intentions. But he does not do that. Rather, he seems to evade  giving a clear answer, while not – at least publicly – reprimanding RFK for a rhetoric that is more damaging to Trump’s legacy than Biden’s, even though it intended on targeting Biden’s. This almost blasé position is unusual for President Trump, who has accustomed the world over the years to inflammatory rhetoric and spectacular shows of force, especially when his achievements come under attack. 

Edited by Maxime Pierre.

References

[1] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “H5 Bird Flu: Current Situation | Bird Flu.” CDC, 1 August 2025, https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/situation-summary/index.html.  Accessed 9 August 2025.

[2] Dillinger, Katherine. “HHS cancels $590 million contract with Moderna for bird flu vaccine.” CNN, 28 May 2025, https://edition.cnn.com/2025/05/28/health/hhs-moderna-bird-flu-vaccine. Accessed 9 August 2025.

[3] “The Evidence on Vaccines and Autism | Johns Hopkins | Bloomberg School of Public Health.” Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 19 March 2025, https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2025/the-evidence-on-vaccines-and-autism. Accessed 9 August 2025.

[4] Kushner, Adam B. “Targeting a Vaccine.” The New York Times, 7 August 2025, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/07/briefing/mrna-vaccines-robert-f-kennedy.html. Accessed 9 August 2025.

[5] Mandavilli, Apoorva. “RFK Jr. Cancels Nearly $500 Million in mRNA Vaccine Contracts.” The New York Times, 6 August 2025, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/05/health/rfk-jr-vaccine-funding.html. Accessed 9 August 2025.

[6] “Moderna Announces Update on Investigational Pandemic Influenza Program.” ACCESS Newswire, Wednesday, 28 May 2025, https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/healthcare-and-pharmaceutical/moderna-announces-update-on-investigational-pandemic-influenza-progra-1033069. Accessed 9 August 2025.

[7] “RFK Jr: Fact-checking his views on health policy.” BBC, 15 November 2024, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0mzk2y41zvo. Accessed 9 August 2025.

[8] “RFK Jr’s health department to halt $500m in mRNA vaccine research.” The Guardian, 6 August 2025, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/05/rfk-jr-hhs-mrna-vaccine-research.  Accessed 9 August 2025.

[9] Schnirring, Lisa. “HHS cancels funding for Moderna’s candidate H5 avian flu and pandemic vaccines.” CIDRAP, 29 May 2025, https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/avian-influenza-bird-flu/hhs-cancels-funding-moderna-s-candidate-h5-avian-flu-and-pandemic-vaccines.  Accessed 9 August 2025.

[10] Seitz, Amanda. “Trump once hailed mRNA vaccines as a ‘medical miracle.’ Now RFK Jr. is halting advancement.” ABC News, 6 August 2025, https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/trump-hailed-mrna-vaccines-medical-miracle-now-rfk-124426015. Accessed 9 August 2025.

[11] “Trump Just Shrugs as Kennedy Undermines His Vaccine Legacy.” The New York Times, 8 August 2025, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/08/us/politics/trump-kennedy-vaccines.html.  Accessed 9 August 2025.

[12] Vanderbilt University Medical Center. “How does a mRNA vaccine compare to a traditional vaccine? | Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology and Inflammation.” Vanderbilt University Medical Center |, 16 November 2020, https://www.vumc.org/viiii/infographics/how-does-mrna-vaccine-compare-traditional-vaccine. Accessed 9 August 2025.

[13] Van Norman, Gail A. ““Warp Speed” Operations in the COVID-19 Pandemic Moving Too Quickly?” PUBLISHED BY ELSEVIER ON BEHALF OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CARDIOLOGY FOUNDATION, vol. 5, no. 7, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7393415/. Accessed 9 August 2025.

[Cover Image] Photo by Laura Villela Beauty Designer (https://www.pexels.com/photo/medical-professional-preparing-vaccine-injection-33327684/). Licensed under Pexels (https://www.pexels.com/)