Trump Urged to Ban mRNA Vaccines by Supporters and Medical Professionals

More than a hundred doctors, nurses, political figures, and advocates have signed a letter urging President Donald Trump to ban mRNA COVID vaccines. The signatories, including television personality Tucker Carlson and Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, called for an immediate suspension of all mRNA-based vaccine technology, which encompasses COVID and newly approved mRNA flu vaccines. The letter was also sent to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

The individuals claimed in the document that the president has "failed" to take action on mRNA vaccines despite what they assert is "evidence [of] the harm of this technology." With midterm elections approaching, the group issued a warning: "if the administration continues to 'ignore our central issue of removing the mRNA platform, the MAHA and health freedom movements will withdraw their support of you, and you will face the political consequences."

The initiative was organized by Americans for Health Freedom, a Texas-based group campaigning against mRNA technologies and COVID shots. Dr. Mary Talley Bowden, an ear, nose, and throat specialist and a founding member of Americans for Health Freedom, organized the letter. She stated that both Carlson and Greene expressed eagerness to sign the letter after hearing about it.

In response, an HHS spokeswoman indicated that Secretary Kennedy believes mRNA products warrant heightened scientific scrutiny. "HHS continues to support mRNA research where the science shows promise, including for hard-to-treat cancers," the spokeswoman said. "At the same time, HHS wound down investments in mRNA vaccines for upper respiratory viruses because the technology does not effectively protect against infection from rapidly mutating viruses such as COVID and flu."

Major clinical trials have demonstrated the safety and effectiveness of COVID vaccines in preventing hospitalization or death from the virus. Prominent medical organizations, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association, support COVID vaccination. The FDA has approved new COVID booster vaccines for adults aged 65 and over and those with underlying conditions that increase their risk of serious infection. Last year, an estimated 50 million Americans, including seven million children, received COVID vaccines, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The letter from Americans for Health Freedom outlined seven key points requiring action from the Trump administration. These included concerns over the appointment of Dr. Erica Schwartz to lead the CDC, the approval of new mRNA COVID shots for the winter flu season, and a significant HHS contract for future mRNA products. The group also raised concerns about the mRNA flu shot, claiming it was not tested against a true placebo, lacks long-term safety data, and did not measure hospitalization or death rates.

Bowden described the letter as her group's "Hail Mary," expressing frustration that the administration had "continued to brush this issue under the rug." She stated, "I have seen hundreds of patients with injuries due to COVID vaccines." While she is open to mRNA for cancer research due to the severity of the disease, she characterized COVID as a "minor illness at this point."

During Trump's presidency, Operation Warp Speed led to the development of mRNA COVID vaccines. Analyses suggest these vaccines have saved millions of lives globally and in the U.S., contributing to a faster return to normalcy. However, controversy arose regarding associations between the vaccines and rare side effects like myocarditis and pericarditis. Mandates for vaccines led to job losses for some, and booster recommendations for school-age children and young adults faced backlash due to the low risk of hospitalization for these groups.

The FDA recently approved the nation's first mRNA flu vaccine. The Trump administration had previously reviewed vaccination policies, including those for COVID vaccines. In May of the previous year, RFK Jr. stated that the CDC would no longer recommend COVID vaccines for healthy children and pregnant women. The FDA later approved an updated COVID shot for the 2025-2026 winter season, but limited its use to individuals over 65 and those with underlying conditions. In August, Trump signed an executive order reducing the number of vaccines on the CDC's children's inoculation schedule and moved the COVID shot to a shared decision-making model for parents.

The letter also criticized this executive order for reducing vaccine numbers while elevating other vaccines to universal recommendation status and adopting shared decision-making, which the authors deemed "constitutionally corrosive."

Bowden, who is currently facing scrutiny regarding her medical license in Texas for prescribing ivermectin to treat COVID, expressed her belief in data transparency. She stated, "I continue to see patients on a daily basis in my office who have been harmed by these COVID shots. I've never seen anything like it in my career." She reported seeing hundreds of patients with injuries consistent with vaccine harm, most commonly Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), as well as neuropathy and tremors.