Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Wednesday that the United States would suspend future donations to Gavi, the global vaccine alliance, unless the organization takes major steps to “re-earn the public’s trust” and restore scientific integrity.
In a video message sent to the Gavi pledging summit in Brussels, Kennedy slammed the group’s COVID-era practices, accusing it of ignoring dissent, suppressing scientific debate, and partnering with the World Health Organization to push censorship on social media.
“When the science was inconvenient, Gavi ignored the science,” Kennedy said. “They treated safety concerns not as a patient health issue, but as a PR problem.”
The summit aims to raise $9 billion to fund Gavi’s programs from 2026 to 2030. But Kennedy made it clear that America’s $300 million annual contribution—roughly $8 billion since 2001—is on hold unless there’s a major course correction.
“I call on Gavi today to justify that money,” Kennedy said. “Take vaccine safety seriously. Consider the best science, even when it contradicts your narrative.”
Kennedy specifically condemned Gavi’s role in promoting COVID-19 vaccines while attempting to silence critics and researchers who raised questions about side effects or efficacy.
“Unaccountable and opaque policymaking is over,” Kennedy declared. “I invite you to join us in a new era of evidence-based medicine and integrity.”
His remarks echoed President Donald Trump’s stance, as the Trump administration has also signaled plans to halt funding to Gavi while continuing targeted grants for HIV treatment, tuberculosis programs, and disaster response efforts.
Kennedy’s move is being applauded by critics of the global health establishment, who say bureaucrats at groups like Gavi and the WHO were never held accountable for their pandemic-era failures.
As the 2026-2030 funding cycle looms, the message from Washington is clear: American taxpayer money will no longer bankroll global institutions that dismiss debate and treat transparency as optional.