Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Health Secretary RFK Jr. reduces flu vaccine promotion amid early seasonal surge — The article reports an early and unusually severe flu season on the US west coast, with California's test positivity rate at 9.65% (versus normal 1% in early October) and Utah recording 242 cases (up from 10 last year). A new H1N1 mutation is credited for the early onset. The FDA-approved 2026-27 vaccine targets H1N1, H3N2, and influenza B. However, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime anti-vaccine activist, has reduced promotion of flu shots and engineered an overhaul of childhood vaccine schedules.

Supporting reports

• EPA approves Georgia air quality plan removing nonattainment new source review requirements — The Environmental Protection Agency finalized approval of Georgia's State Implementation Plan revision removing nonattainment new source review (NNSR) permitting requirements and emission reduction credit provisions from the state's air quality regulations. The revision follows Georgia's 2022 redesignation of the Atlanta ozone area from nonattainment to attainment status under the Clean Air Act. The EPA rejected arguments that NNSR should remain as a contingency measure despite recent ozone standard exceedances, finding that Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) permitting and maintenance plan triggers provide adequate protection.
• EPA approves Kentucky's Limited Maintenance Plan for Louisville Area ozone standards — The Environmental Protection Agency finalized approval of Kentucky's Limited Maintenance Plan (LMP) for the 1997 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) covering the Kentucky portion of the bi-state Louisville Area (Bullitt, Jefferson, and Oldham Counties). The plan demonstrates that air quality will remain in attainment through 2027, the end of the second 10-year maintenance period following the area's 2007 redesignation from nonattainment to attainment. The EPA evaluated design value data, monitoring networks, and contingency provisions, and determined the plan adequately assures maintenance of the standard. The approval makes the plan's commitments federally enforceable under the Clean Air Act.
• EPA approves Maryland air plan revisions establishing nitrogen oxide emission limits for municipal waste combustors — The Environmental Protection Agency finalized approval of Maryland's State Implementation Plan revisions establishing reasonably available control technology (RACT) requirements for nitrogen oxide emissions from municipal waste combustors. The rule sets specific emission limits for two large facilities—Montgomery County Resource Recovery Facility (140 ppmv 24-hour average, 105 ppmv 30-day average) and Wheelabrator Baltimore (150 ppmv 24-hour average, 145 ppmv 30-day average)—and exempts small combustors constructed before August 30, 1999. The EPA rejected a commenter's request for stricter limits, finding Maryland's determinations adequate under the Clean Air Act.
• EPA approves Missouri air quality rule revisions on construction permit exemptions — The Environmental Protection Agency finalized approval of Missouri's State Implementation Plan revision modifying construction permit exemptions under the Minor New Source Review program. The rule refines emergency generator exemptions, updates recordkeeping requirements, and clarifies cross-references. EPA found the revisions comply with the Clean Air Act, do not backslide air quality, and strengthen permit exemption standards. The rule becomes effective November 9, 2026.
• EPA approves New Jersey State Implementation Plan revisions for ozone RACT certifications under Clean Air Act sections 182 and 184. — The Environmental Protection Agency issued a final rule approving New Jersey's State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions submitted November 23, 2021, and March 3, 2025, certifying that the state meets Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT) requirements for volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides emissions under the 2008 and 2015 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards. The approval covers the New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island nonattainment area (Serious classification for 2008 ozone; Moderate for 2015) and the Philadelphia-Atlantic City nonattainment area (Moderate for 2015), as well as statewide Ozone Transport Region obligations. The rule becomes effective November 9, 2026.
• EPA approves Oklahoma air plan for interstate SO2 transport requirements under Clean Air Act — The Environmental Protection Agency issued a final rule approving portions of Oklahoma's State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted May 28, 2021, demonstrating compliance with Clean Air Act section 110(a)(2)(D)(i)(I) interstate transport requirements for the 2010 1-hour sulfur dioxide (SO2) National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). EPA determined Oklahoma's emissions will not significantly contribute to nonattainment or interfere with maintenance of the SO2 NAAQS in other states, based on weight-of-evidence analysis including certified design values, emissions trends, and source-specific evaluations within a 50-kilometer urban-scale assessment. The rule becomes effective November 9, 2026, and applies to certain areas of Indian country in Oklahoma consistent with prior SAFETEA approval and D.C. Circuit precedent.
• EPA approves clean data determination for Berrien and Muskegon County ozone nonattainment areas — The Environmental Protection Agency finalized a determination that Berrien County and Muskegon County, Michigan have attained the 2015 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards based on 2023-2025 monitoring data and approved exceptional events exclusions for wildfire smoke impacts. The determination suspends requirements for these areas to submit attainment demonstrations, Reasonably Available Control Measures plans, Reasonable Further Progress plans, and other State Implementation Plan requirements related to ozone attainment, contingent on continued compliance with the standard.
• EPA publishes weekly Environmental Impact Statements notice — The Environmental Protection Agency published a notice of availability for Environmental Impact Statements filed between September 28 and October 5, 2026, pursuant to Clean Air Act Section 309(a) and CEQ guidance. The notice lists two EIS actions: a draft Nuclear Regulatory Commission combined license application for the Project Matador Advanced Energy and Intelligence Campus in Texas (comment period ending November 23, 2026), and an amended APHIS draft grizzly bear damage management EIS for Montana with an extended comment period (now ending November 4, 2026). EPA's comment letters on EISs are available through the EPA's CDX database.

Supporting reports

• Food & Water Watch reports water prices up 62% in a decade — Food & Water Watch analyzed 2025 billing data from the 500 largest community water systems in the United States, which serve approximately 155 million people or 45% of the country's population. The analysis found that US households are paying 62% more for drinking water than they did a decade ago, outpacing inflation (39%), grocery prices (30%), and household income growth (19%). Water prices rose 1.6 times faster than overall inflation between 2015 and 2025, with low-income households being hit hardest.

Supporting reports

• Datacenter developers accused of circumventing EPA air pollution permitting rules — Environmental advocates allege that datacenter developers, including Amazon and Duke Energy, are manipulating EPA air pollution permitting processes by dividing emissions sources into multiple "minor" permits to avoid "major" source reviews and associated emission controls. Cases cited include North Carolina (Amazon/Duke with 649 diesel generators), New Mexico (Project Jupiter proposing two natural gas microgrids), and Maryland (four datacenters on one campus). The tactic reduces public scrutiny and regulatory oversight while potentially exposing low-income communities to increased air pollution.

Supporting reports

• Trump eliminates vehicle fuel economy standards — On September 26, Trump announced the elimination of vehicle fuel economy standards established under former President Joe Biden, continuing efforts to lock the United States into dependence on fossil fuels.
• Trump administration slashes clean car fuel economy standards — The Trump administration announced Monday the rollback of clean car rules that had required automakers to reduce emissions and improve fuel efficiency for model years 2022–2031. The Department of Transportation's new rule, called "Freedom Means Affordable Cars," reverses Biden-era standards that mandated 8–10% annual fuel efficiency increases. The administration estimates the change will reduce vehicle costs by $1,300 but will increase fuel consumption by 100 billion gallons through 2050, boost carbon dioxide emissions by 5%, and raise fuel spending by $185 billion. Environmental groups and public health advocates condemned the move.
• Trump administration finalizes rollback of federal vehicle fuel economy standards — The Transportation Department finalized a rollback of federal vehicle fuel economy requirements on Monday, reducing the projected 2031 fleetwide average from 49.3 miles per gallon to 34.9 miles per gallon. The administration projects compliance cost savings of approximately $1,289 per vehicle for automakers. However, federal projections indicate drivers will spend over $1,600 in additional fuel expenses over a vehicle's lifetime, with increased gasoline consumption and emissions.
• Trump administration eviscerates pollution limits on cars, trucks, and power plants — The Trump administration has removed or significantly weakened environmental regulations governing emissions from vehicles and power generation facilities. The article states the administration "eviscerated pollution limits on cars, trucks and power plants" as part of a broader pattern of rolling back environmental protections. This action reduces federal oversight of major sources of greenhouse gas emissions and represents a reversal of prior regulatory standards.

Supporting reports

• Pentagon undisclosed military fatalities in Iran war — According to six U.S. officials familiar with Department of Defense internal casualty accounting data, more American service members have died in the Middle East during the ongoing Iran war than the Pentagon has publicly disclosed. Five officials reported at least 22 military fatalities—four more than the Pentagon's public database shows. A sixth official stated 23 service members have died. The discrepancy indicates incomplete public reporting of war casualties.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration vaccine-skeptical policies linked to measles deaths; CDC autism page altered — Senator Bill Cassidy, Republican chair of the US Senate health committee, publicly blamed the Trump administration's vaccine-skeptical approach for three confirmed measles deaths in Pennsylvania (with a fourth under review) during the worst US measles outbreak in over three decades. Cassidy challenged Trump's surgeon general nominee Nicole Saphier to directly state that vaccines do not cause autism. The article also reveals that after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. became health secretary, the CDC's "Autism and Vaccines" webpage was altered—an asterisk was added to the headline "Vaccines do not cause Autism," undermining scientific consensus despite Kennedy's prior assurance to Cassidy that the CDC would maintain clear statements refuting the vaccine-autism link.

Supporting reports

• ProPublica analysis documents increased ectopic pregnancy deaths in abortion-ban states — A ProPublica analysis found that nearly 200 women in the U.S. died from ectopic pregnancies between 2020 and 2025, compared with about 100 in the previous six years. The increase has been much steeper in states that banned abortion after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, indicating that abortion restrictions are contributing to preventable maternal deaths.

Supporting reports

• Law enforcement agencies diverted opioid settlement funds to surveillance technology — More than a dozen local law enforcement agencies across the country used opioid settlement money to procure Flock cameras and other AI-powered automated license plate readers. Advocates had intended the settlement funds to be directed toward underserved communities affected by the opioid crisis, not surveillance infrastructure.

Supporting reports

• Global oil prices rose amid Iran conflict escalation — Global oil prices rose for a fourth consecutive session as renewed strikes by the U.S. and Iran strained energy flows. Shipping in the Strait of Hormuz was mostly at a standstill, with the U.S. Navy blockading Iranian oil. Brent crude rose to just above $96 per barrel, up 34% since the war began. U.S. diesel prices jumped 9 cents to $5.78 per gallon, up 54% since the war began, approaching 2022 levels. U.S. gasoline prices rose to a national average of $4.14 per gallon, up 39% since the war began. Two tankers were attacked on Monday off the coast of Oman.

Supporting reports

• Kennedy suggests measles deaths in Pennsylvania were fabricated — As the U.S. faces a measles outbreak that has killed two unvaccinated people in Pennsylvania—including a newborn too young for vaccination—HHS Secretary Kennedy suggested that Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro's announcement of the deaths might have been "altogether fabricated by one of the Governor's hopeful staffers." The claim contradicts documented public health data.
• HHS Secretary RFK Jr. testified falsely about 2019 Samoa visit, documents show — According to the Associated Press, HHS Secretary RFK Jr. repeatedly told lawmakers who held the key to his confirmation last year that a 2019 visit to Samoa before a deadly measles outbreak had "nothing to do with vaccines." New documents refute that testimony. Kennedy, then a prominent anti-vaccine activist, preceded the visit with a letter to the Samoan Prime Minister requesting to study the Pacific island nation's measles, mumps and rubella vaccines after the deaths of two children who had received them.
• RFK Jr. praised low vaccine uptake in Lancaster County in 2021, preceding measles deaths — The Pennsylvania Department of Health announced that two unvaccinated people in Lancaster County died from measles. In 2021, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., then chair of the Children's Health Defense, spoke at an Amish country fair in Lancaster County where he praised the low childhood vaccine uptake and downplayed the severity of measles. The timing and location of Kennedy's remarks preceded the recent measles deaths in the same community.
• RFK Jr. falsely testified to Congress about Samoa vaccine visit — Documents obtained by the press reveal that RFK Jr., now HHS Secretary, made false statements during his 2025 Senate confirmation hearings when he claimed his 2019 Samoa visit had "nothing to do with vaccines." Letters show Kennedy explicitly told the Samoan prime minister he intended to investigate the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine. Kennedy's visit is reported to have empowered anti-vaccine activists; a measles epidemic followed that killed 83 people. Knowingly lying to Congress is a federal crime, though rarely prosecuted.

Supporting reports

• Earthjustice files lawsuit challenging EPA approval of datacenter chemicals — Earthjustice, a nonprofit environmental law organization, filed a lawsuit challenging the EPA's approval of two photoacid generator compounds used in datacenters. The lawsuit argues that the EPA violated the Toxic Substances Control Act by approving chemicals it acknowledged may present unreasonable risk to workers and the public without implementing adequate protective restrictions, and that the approval represents a fundamental failure of the agency's obligation to protect public health.

Supporting reports

• Trump EPA proposes rule to exempt datacenters from public air pollution disclosure — The Trump administration's Environmental Protection Agency proposed a new rule that would eliminate the Clean Air Act requirement for datacenters to publicly disclose air pollution emissions. The rule would make disclosure voluntary at state and local officials' discretion rather than mandatory. Datacenters are significant sources of nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, and heavy metals. Environmental advocates warn the change will reduce public oversight, prevent communities from knowing what pollutants they will breathe, and weaken enforcement of federal pollution limits linked to asthma, heart disease, and cancer.
• EPA approves two toxic datacenter chemicals despite acknowledged health risks — The Trump administration's Environmental Protection Agency approved two photoacid generator compounds for import and immediate use in U.S. datacenters, despite acknowledging in consent orders that the chemicals may present "unreasonable risk" to workers and the public and could cause sudden death, cancer, neurological damage, and reproductive harm. The EPA admitted insufficient data to quantify acute toxicity and lethality risks but approved the chemicals anyway with minimal restrictions, prompting a lawsuit by Earthjustice arguing the approval violates the Toxic Substances Control Act.

Supporting reports

• Dr. Mehmet Oz declines to clarify Trump's claim that MMR vaccine may be lethal — Dr. Mehmet Oz appeared on CBS and was asked to clarify Trump's statement that the MMR shot may be lethal. Oz responded that "We want parents to have the autonomy to decide what their kids receive." When pressed again to clarify Trump's use of the term "lethal," Oz stated "The MMR vaccine is not a lethal vaccine" but did not directly address or repudiate Trump's original claim.

Supporting reports

• Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. promoted alternative health approaches over vaccines — Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has promoted the belief that health depends on strong immune systems fortified through "healthy living, clean water, and good nutrition" rather than reliance on vaccines proven to prevent infectious diseases. Kennedy has made unsubstantiated claims about measles deaths in Texas being caused by malnutrition and has associated with anti-vaccine movements, while promising to explore alternative treatments for measles including vitamins rather than promoting vaccination.

Supporting reports

• Multiple food product recalls issued for salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria contamination — Multiple food product recalls were issued in 2026 for contamination with salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria, including frozen organic blueberries sold across eight states, fresh jalapeños from Taylor Farms, 1.5 million dozen eggs sold across six states, and numerous prepared foods, salad dressings, soups, bakery items, and ready-to-eat products. FDA records show a steady stream of recalls throughout 2026, reflecting the broader food safety crisis.
• Federal funding cuts reduced food safety inspection capacity by more than 40 percent — Federal funding cuts scaled back the ability of federal agencies to conduct food inspections and provide grants to state and local health departments, reducing food safety detection systems by more than 40 percent. These cuts directly contributed to the largest cyclospora outbreak in U.S. history, with at least 9,481 people in 17 states falling ill from contaminated lettuce from Taylor Farms, and thousands more cases under investigation.

Supporting reports

• California assembly passes diaper chemical disclosure legislation — California's assembly passed legislation (68-1 vote) requiring diaper manufacturers to disclose all intentionally added chemicals on a public webpage by 2028 and on packaging by January 1, 2029. The bill addresses health risks from toxic substances—phthalates, PFAS, lead, formaldehyde, and volatile organic compounds—that accumulate in diapers worn continuously against infants' thin, absorbent skin. The measure is expected to advance to the state senate and is supported by over 150 public health groups.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration opens public comment period on vaccine recommendation categories — The Trump administration's Health and Human Services (HHS) department published a Federal Register notice on Friday seeking public feedback on vaccine recommendation categories (routine, risk-based, shared clinical decision-making) and whether new categories should be adopted. The notice, tied to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s task force on safer childhood vaccines, invites 30 days of public comment on the categorization structure and evidence-evaluation standards. Public health experts warn the process bypasses CDC and ACIP expertise, risks confusion about vaccine access, and may be designed to limit vaccination uptake.

Supporting reports

• RFK Jr. and Trump made false claims about vaccine safety at press conference — At a press conference, Trump and RFK Jr. claimed that childhood vaccines cause autism and that the combined MMR vaccine is lethal and the size of a soda bottle. RFK Jr. stated the CDC website is "outdated" when confronted with CDC data showing no scientific evidence for separating the MMR vaccine. When asked about the soda-bottle claim, RFK Jr. deflected by saying "people make their own assessment." These claims contradict established scientific consensus and CDC guidance.

Supporting reports

• Polymarket spread false vaccine misinformation on social media — Polymarket, a prediction market platform that has marketed itself as a "global truth machine," spread misinformation through its official X accounts. Most recently, a Polymarket account posted a false graphic claiming that babies in the U.S. receive 72 vaccine injections, a claim contradicted by multiple independent fact checkers.

Supporting reports

• Polymarket promoted false vaccine injection claim on X — On August 10, Polymarket's official X account posted a graphic falsely claiming U.S. babies receive 72 injections, attributing this to Trump policy. Fact-checkers including PolitiFact, FactCheck.org, STAT News, and CNN determined the claim false; babies actually receive 12–30 shots by age two depending on vaccine combinations. The White House had previously posted the same false graphic in January 2026. Polymarket did not respond to requests for comment.
• New York Times documented hundreds of false Polymarket posts — In a March 2026 review, the New York Times identified hundreds of posts on Polymarket's social media accounts (which have millions of combined followers) containing false or misleading information. The review documented a pattern of misinformation, frequently targeting opponents of the Trump administration. Polymarket is connected to Trump through Donald Trump Jr., who has invested in the company and serves as an unpaid advisor.
• Polymarket falsely attributed quote to Jeff Bezos — In January 2026, Polymarket posted on X that Amazon founder Jeff Bezos advised young people to work at McDonald's or Palantir before starting their own companies. Bezos replied directly, stating "Nope. Not sure why [P]olymarket made this up." The claim distorted an earlier interview answer in which Bezos advised working at "best-practices companies" to learn fundamentals; he did not mention McDonald's or Palantir.
• Polymarket posted false claim about Ilhan Omar's net worth — In December 2025, Polymarket posted conspiracy theories about how Congresswoman Ilhan Omar's net worth increased since 2019, without disclosing that her net worth now includes assets of her husband, whom she married in 2020. The omission was material to understanding the increase and fueled unfounded speculation about financial impropriety.

Supporting reports

• Trump signs executive order redefining U.S. childhood vaccine recommendations and directing legal challenges to state vaccine mandates. — President Trump signed Executive Order 14420 establishing "Gold Standard Childhood Vaccine Recommendations" aligned with peer nations' practices, reducing the number of recommended vaccines and doses. The order directs the Attorney General to challenge state vaccine-mandate laws on constitutional grounds (parental authority, religious freedom, disability accommodations, equal protection) and instructs federal agencies to ensure contractors and grantees comply with religious and medical exemptions. It also establishes an HHS Task Force to develop single-dose vaccine alternatives and reassess vaccine safety and timing.
• Trump signs executive order restructuring childhood vaccination schedule — Donald Trump signed an executive order directing sweeping changes to the CDC childhood vaccination schedule, including breaking the MMR vaccine into three separate shots, reducing recommended vaccines from 18 to 11 diseases, and moving several vaccines to "shared clinical decision-making." The order bypasses the CDC—the federal agency tasked with vaccine recommendations—and attempts to reinstate changes halted by a federal judge in March for violating federal law. Trump and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. repeatedly invoked an unproven autism-vaccine link during the signing.
• Trump issued executive order mandating split MMR vaccine and separate childhood immunizations — Trump signed an executive order requiring the combined MMR vaccine to be administered as three separate single-disease shots and mandating that childhood immunizations be given at separate medical visits, once domestically available. The order reflects a decades-long personal belief that vaccines cause autism, a claim contradicted by scientific evidence. Sen. Bill Cassidy, a physician who confirmed RFK Jr. as health secretary, publicly opposed the order, stating vaccines are safe, effective, and do not cause autism, and that splitting vaccines will increase hesitancy and make children less safe.
• Trump issues executive order realigning U.S. childhood vaccine recommendations with peer-developed-nation standards — President Trump signed an executive order on August 10, 2026, directing the Department of Health and Human Services to implement "Gold Standard Childhood Vaccine Recommendations" aligned with practices in peer developed countries. The order identifies three vaccine categories (universal, high-risk, and shared clinical decision-making), directs HHS to develop single-dose vaccine alternatives to combination products, and instructs the Attorney General to challenge state vaccine mandate laws on constitutional grounds. The order emphasizes parental choice and religious exemptions while maintaining vaccine availability.
• Trump signed Executive Order 14420 establishing "Gold Standard Childhood Vaccine Recommendations" and directing federal agencies to challenge state vaccine mandate laws. — President Trump signed Executive Order 14420 on August 10, 2026, declaring a new set of "Gold Standard Childhood Vaccine Recommendations" based on a HHS scientific assessment. The order categorizes vaccines into three tiers: those recommended for all children (measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Haemophilus influenzae type B, pneumococcal disease, HPV, varicella); those for high-risk groups; and those based on shared clinical decision-making. The order directs the Attorney General to challenge state vaccine mandate laws and directs federal agencies to ensure contractors comply with parental choice and religious exemption obligations. It also establishes an HHS Task Force on Safer Childhood Vaccines to develop single-dose vaccine options and reassess vaccine schedules.
• White House issued fact sheet on executive order revising childhood vaccine recommendations — The White House published a fact sheet on August 10, 2026, describing an executive order signed by President Trump that revises U.S. childhood vaccine recommendations. The order reduces recommended routine childhood vaccines from 18 diseases to 11, recommends separating the combined MMR vaccine into three single-disease shots, and advises spacing vaccines across separate medical visits. The order directs HHS to present plans for vaccine research and directs federal agencies to advance the new recommendations. States with school vaccine requirements are advised to consider updating their laws accordingly.
• Trump issues executive order on vaccines attempting to reinstate vaccine schedule changes — Donald Trump issued an executive order attempting to reinstate sweeping changes to the US vaccine schedule previously made by Robert F Kennedy Jr, the health secretary, which had been halted by a federal judge. The order cannot change CDC recommendations or federal law, but experts warn it creates confusion and undermines public trust in vaccines. The order invokes religious freedom, potentially pressuring states to reduce vaccination mandates for school attendance.
• Trump issues executive order on childhood vaccine schedule — On Monday, Trump issued an executive order directing states to revise their recommendations on childhood vaccinations. The order calls for separating the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine into three single-disease shots administered at separate appointments, despite such separate vaccinations not being available in the United States. Trump falsely claimed the vaccines could be "quite lethal" in combination, contradicting scientific evidence of the MMR vaccine's safety and effectiveness. Separating vaccines would require multiple doctor visits, reducing vaccination rates among poor families and leaving communities more vulnerable to disease.

Supporting reports

• FDA proposes mandatory notification system for food ingredients under GRAS pathway — The FDA submitted a proposed rule to the Federal Register on Monday requiring food manufacturers to notify the agency of all ingredients brought to market under the Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) pathway, closing a regulatory loophole that has allowed companies to use ingredients without formal FDA review since 1958. The Trump administration simultaneously delayed its promised definition of "ultra-processed foods," saying additional details would be shared later. Legal experts question whether the FDA has authority to mandate rather than merely request such notifications.

Supporting reports

• Senate confirms Erica Schwartz as CDC director in 51-44 vote — The U.S. Senate confirmed Dr. Erica Schwartz as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in a 51-44 vote largely along party lines, with Democrat Tim Kaine as the sole Democratic supporter. Schwartz, Trump's third CDC nominee, is a navy veteran and former deputy surgeon general. She replaces Susan Monarez, who was fired by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. last year over vaccine policy disagreements. At her confirmation hearing, Schwartz pledged to "never betray the science" regarding vaccines amid concerns about Kennedy's vaccine hesitancy.

Supporting reports

• Senate committee obtains copy of Fauci's iPhone and weighs contempt charges — Senator Ron Johnson, chair of the Senate homeland security permanent subcommittee on investigations, announced that his committee obtained a backup copy of Anthony Fauci's iPhone, used during Fauci's tenure as NIAID director and during the Covid-19 pandemic response. The phone was transferred by the Department of Health and Human Services, led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Johnson stated the device would address questions Fauci refused to answer at a hearing on July 29, where Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right dozens of times. The committee is weighing whether to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress.
• Senate committee votes to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress — The Republican-controlled Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee voted to refer Dr. Anthony Fauci for contempt of Congress after he repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment during a July 29 hearing on his Covid-19 pandemic response. Committee chair Rand Paul argued Fauci's pardon negated his right to invoke self-incrimination protections. The committee voted to refer the matter to the Department of Justice for potential criminal prosecution, though a full Senate vote would normally be required and Democrats warned the process violated constitutional protections.
• Senate Committee Holds Dr. Fauci in Contempt — The Senate Homeland Security Committee has voted along party lines to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after he invoked his Fifth Amendment rights during questioning. This action reflects ongoing political tensions and scrutiny of public health officials.
• Senate Republicans vote to hold Dr. Fauci in contempt of Congress — Republican senators voted to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, in contempt of Congress for invoking his Fifth Amendment right to remain silent during a Senate Homeland Security and Government Oversight Committee hearing on July 29. Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 100 times as Republican senators taunted and berated him. All Democrats voted against the contempt measure.
• Senate Committee Votes to Hold Dr. Fauci in Contempt — The Senate Homeland Security Committee has voted to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress for refusing to answer questions during a hearing on his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. The vote follows Fauci's invocation of the Fifth Amendment over 100 times. The committee, led by Sen. Rand Paul, bypassed the full Senate and sent the contempt referral directly to the DOJ, a move criticized by Democrats as illegitimate.