President Trump has urged pharmaceutical companies to publicly disclose data regarding the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines. He expressed concerns that the ongoing debate about the vaccines' impact has caused significant division within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In a lengthy post on Truth Social, Trump stated, "It is very important that the Drug Companies justify the success of their various Covid Drugs. Many people think they are a miracle that saved Millions of lives. Others disagree!" He emphasized the need for transparency, saying, "I want the answer, and I want it NOW." Trump claimed to have seen extraordinary information from companies like Pfizer but criticized them for not sharing these results with the public.

The former president's comments come in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw the rapid development of vaccines through Operation Warp Speed during his administration. As of 2025, over 70% of Americans have received both doses of the vaccine, with more than 711 million doses administered in the U.S., according to the World Health Organization. However, the vaccines, developed by Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson, have faced criticism for not preventing breakthrough infections.

A recent Kaiser Family Foundation poll indicated that only 30% of Republicans view the COVID vaccine as safe, compared to 55% of independents and 87% of Democrats. Critics of Trump argue that he did not take the pandemic seriously enough at the outset, while some supporters have also voiced discontent over his initial approval of lockdown measures in March 2020.

The situation surrounding vaccine science has led to tensions within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has clashed with other officials after he ended the emergency authorization for COVID vaccines and revised eligibility standards to exclude most healthy adults and children.

CDC Director Susan Monarez was recently dismissed after less than a month in office, reportedly due to her differing views on vaccines compared to Kennedy. Her legal team stated, "When CDC Director Susan Monarez refused to rubber-stamp unscientific, reckless directives and fire dedicated health experts, she chose protecting the public over serving a political agenda. For that, she has been targeted."

The turmoil at HHS has led to the resignation of several top CDC officials in protest of Monarez's departure. Kennedy's stance on vaccines has varied over time, with past statements labeling the COVID-19 vaccine as "the deadliest vaccine ever made."

In 2020, Trump claimed, "We are delivering millions of doses of a safe and effective vaccine that will soon end this terrible pandemic and save millions and millions of lives." Meanwhile, House Republicans are investigating allegations that the production of COVID vaccines was delayed before the Election Day, having subpoenaed a former Pfizer scientist for testimony.