RFK Jr. stands firm against global vaccine giants, cutting off $1.2 billion in taxpayer money to Gavi until they stop “ignoring the science” and start respecting basic scientific protocols.
At a Glance
- U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has withdrawn $1.2 billion in pledged U.S. funding from Gavi, the global vaccine alliance.
- Kennedy accused the organization of “ignoring the science” on vaccine safety and demanded it “re-earn the public trust.”
- The move follows Kennedy’s call for Gavi to justify the $8 billion in U.S. taxpayer funding it has received since 2001.
- Global health organizations, including the Gates Foundation, have warned the funding cut could harm vaccination programs in developing nations.
RFK Jr. Demands Accountability from Global Vaccine Alliance
In a decisive “America First” move, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has announced the withdrawal of $1.2 billion in U.S. funding pledged to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Kennedy stated that American taxpayers will no longer bankroll the international organization until it takes vaccine safety seriously and can justify the billions in U.S. funding it has already received.
“I call on Gavi today to re-earn the public trust and to justify the $8 billion that America has provided in funding since 2001,” Kennedy said in a statement. “And I’ll tell you how to start taking vaccine safety seriously: Consider the best science available, even when the science contradicts established paradigms. Until that happens, the United States won’t contribute more to Gavi.”
“When the Science Was Inconvenient, Gavi Ignored the Science.”
Kennedy’s bold stance is rooted in his long-standing criticism of the global health establishment’s approach to vaccine safety. He accused Gavi of sidelining scientific inquiry that did not align with its predetermined agenda, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
RFK Jr. says the US is cutting Gavi vaccine funding, citing safety concerns https://t.co/R1zaxZZ4At
— Bloomberg (@business) June 26, 2025
“When the science was inconvenient, Gavi ignored the science,” Kennedy said, as reported by Politico. His demand is not that Gavi abandon its mission, but that it adhere to transparent scientific protocols and respect dissenting viewpoints, rather than silencing them.
The Global Health Establishment in Panic Mode
The reaction from the global health community has been predictably hysterical. Gavi is currently seeking $9 billion for its next five-year funding cycle, and the loss of U.S. contributions has thrown its plans into disarray. Rather than address Kennedy’s specific concerns about scientific integrity, Gavi and its partners have resorted to dire warnings.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, a key Gavi partner, issued a statement “warning that without renewed support, children could be left vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases,” according to NPR. Critics, however, see this as a refusal to engage with legitimate questions about accountability and an attempt to maintain the status quo of receiving billions in taxpayer funds with minimal oversight.
The move is part of a broader reassessment of America’s role in global health organizations, which has also seen the U.S. withdraw funding from the World Health Organization (WHO). Kennedy’s stance signals a new era where American taxpayer dollars will come with the commonsense expectation that recipients demonstrate transparency, scientific integrity, and concrete results.
