Senators Push Trump to Release Millions for Bill Gates’ Vaccine Giant

The bipartisan group is shrugging off concerns from the Trump administration about Gavi's censorship and deviation from science

A growing fight is unfolding in Washington over $600 million in taxpayer funding for the global vaccine alliance Gavi, with senators pushing to release the money and the Trump administration holding firm over safety concerns.

The funding, approved by Congress for 2025 and 2026, has been delayed by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The health secretary says Gavi has not done enough to address vaccine safety and transparency issues.

That hasn’t stopped bipartisan pressure. In a May 4 letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, six senators—Susan Collins (R-Maine), Patty Murray (D-WA), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)—urged the administration to release the funds quickly. They argue Gavi helps stop disease outbreaks overseas before they reach the United States.

“We urge you to quickly provide the U.S. contribution to Gavi, consistent with Congressional intent, to ensure U.S. leadership continues in global vaccination efforts,” the senators wrote.

Gavi presents itself as one of the most powerful forces in global health, claiming it has vaccinated more than half the world’s children. It operates as a partnership between major international institutions—the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Bank, and the European Union—and private funders led by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, its largest donor.

Last year, the Gates Foundation pledged another $1.6 billion over five years, warning that cuts in global aid could cost children’s lives.

Kennedy has pointed to several concerns. He says Gavi has not committed to phasing out vaccines that contain thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative. He also criticizes the group for continuing to use a combined diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine that he says has caused serious side effects and has been dropped in some countries, while not adopting a newer and safer version.

At an April Senate hearing, Sen. Shaheen said she was told Kennedy himself was blocking the funds and warned that failing to release them could lead to “millions of children” dying, citing Gavi officials. According to The Epoch Times, Kennedy responded that talks are ongoing—but said Gavi has not clearly answered whether it is funneling U.S. money to the World Health Organization, from which the U.S. withdrew in January.

The dispute goes beyond funding. In a video last year, Kennedy accused Gavi of ignoring science and working with the WHO to silence debate about vaccine safety, including during COVID-19. He said the group supported efforts to pressure social media companies to censor dissenting views.

Gavi continues to promote COVID-19 shots worldwide through its COVAX program, which has received $236.2 million from the Gates Foundation alone—despite the established danger posed by the shots.

Since 2001, the United States has given Gavi about $8 billion—roughly $300 million a year. Kennedy says that level of support should no longer be automatic. He has called on the organization to “re-earn public trust” by becoming more transparent and taking safety concerns more seriously.

Gavi CEO Sania Nishtar has warned that losing U.S. funding could result in 1.2 million additional child deaths by 2030.

For now, the standoff continues: lawmakers want the money released, while the administration is signaling that future funding will depend on stricter oversight—and a fundamental shift in how Gavi operates.