Trump Praises Florida’s Vaccine Mandate Repeal as ‘Tough’/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Donald Trump called Florida’s move to eliminate student vaccine mandates a “tough stance,” while stressing that some vaccines remain “amazing” and necessary. Gov. Ron DeSantis and Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo announced the rollback, with Ladapo likening mandates to slavery. Trump urged caution, emphasizing that effective vaccines like polio should still be used.
Florida Vaccine Mandate Rollback: Quick Looks
- Trump praises Florida for taking a “tough position” on student vaccine mandates.
- He calls the polio vaccine and COVID-19 vaccine “amazing.”
- Warns against dismissing vaccines that “just work.”
- Gov. Ron DeSantis and Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo lead repeal effort.
- Ladapo compares mandates to “slavery” and calls them immoral.
- Florida to repeal requirements for polio, measles, mumps, and others.
- Parents already allowed to claim religious exemptions.
- All U.S. states currently require student vaccines, though rates are declining.
- Federal government removed COVID-19 vaccine from recommended list for healthy children.
- Ladapo labels COVID-19 vaccine “poison,” pushes for personal choice.
Deep Look: Trump Applauds Florida’s Vaccine Mandate Repeal but Defends Key Immunizations
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Friday praised Florida’s decision to move toward eliminating all vaccine mandates for students, calling it a “tough stance” while also defending the importance of certain long-established vaccines.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said vaccines such as the polio shot and the COVID-19 vaccine developed during his first term were “amazing” and should not be dismissed.
“You have some vaccines that are so incredible, and I think you have to be very careful when you say that some people don’t have to be vaccinated,” Trump said. “It’s a very tough position … it’s a tough stance.”
Trump added:
“There are vaccines that work, they just pure and simple work. They’re not controversial at all, and I think those vaccines should be used.”
Florida’s New Policy Direction
The comments came after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and State Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo announced a sweeping plan to repeal all state vaccine mandates for schoolchildren.
At a news conference Wednesday, Ladapo described mandates as “wrong,” “immoral,” and comparable to slavery.”
“All of them. Every last one of them is wrong and drips with disdain and slavery,” Ladapo said.
The Florida Department of Health will begin repealing mandates under Ladapo’s authority, while the state legislature will need to vote on removing others.
Currently, Florida law requires vaccines against polio, diphtheria, measles, rubella, pertussis, mumps, tetanus, and other communicable diseases for students attending school. Parents, however, can already request religious exemptions.
National Vaccine Requirements
Every U.S. state and Washington, D.C., requires certain vaccines for school attendance, but vaccination rates among children have been declining nationwide.
The federal government under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently removed the COVID-19 vaccine from the recommended list for healthy children, marking a major policy shift.
Ladapo’s Personal Stance on Vaccines
Ladapo, who has been outspoken against COVID-19 shots, went further, calling the vaccine “poison.” He framed vaccine decisions as deeply personal.
“Who am I to tell you what your child should put in their body? I don’t have that right,” he said.
He added that individuals should make their own choices:
“You want to put whatever different vaccines in your body, God bless you. You don’t want to, God bless you. I hope you make an informed decision. That’s how it should be.”
Trump’s Balancing Act
Trump’s remarks reflect a balancing act between embracing personal choice — a message that resonates strongly with his Republican base — and continuing to defend key vaccines as a public health necessity.
The president, who oversaw the rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines under Operation Warp Speed, has previously taken credit for their success. His Friday comments suggest he does not want to see long-standing, effective immunizations discarded even as Florida pursues a rollback of mandates.
The move in Florida could set the stage for wider national debate as more states consider revisiting their vaccine requirements.
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