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Trump administration ignores the experts as it cancels $500 million for vaccines

By Ashley Lopez,
Domenico Montanaro, Selena Simmons-Duffin
Published August 8, 2025 at 4:31 PM EDT

U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., cancelled $500 million in mRNA vaccine development contracts this week. We discuss how the move follows a trend of actions by the Trump administration that ignore the advice of subject-matter experts.

This episode: political correspondent Ashley Lopez, health policy correspondent Selena Simmons-Duffin, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro.


This podcast was produced by Casey Morell & Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.

Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics

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Ashley Lopez
Ashley Lopez is a political correspondent for NPR based in Austin, Texas. She joined NPR in May 2022. Prior to NPR, Lopez spent more than six years as a health care and politics reporter for KUT, Austin's public radio station. Before that, she was a political reporter for NPR Member stations in Florida and Kentucky. Lopez is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and grew up in Miami, Florida.
Domenico Montanaro
Domenico Montanaro is NPR's senior political editor/correspondent. Based in Washington, D.C., his work appears on air and online delivering analysis of the political climate in Washington and campaigns. He also helps edit political coverage.
See stories by Domenico Montanaro
Selena Simmons-Duffin
Selena Simmons-Duffin reports on health policy for NPR.
See stories by Selena Simmons-Duffin
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