Trump Opposes Florida Plan to Eliminate School Vaccine Mandates

President Donald Trump has long been an advocate for personal liberty and medical freedom, but on Friday he took a more measured stance when responding to Florida’s newly announced plan to abolish all vaccine mandates including those required for schoolchildren.

Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump called the move pushed by Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo and backed by Governor Ron DeSantis a “tough stance,” warning that some vaccines, like polio, have historically saved lives and are not controversial.

“I think we have to be very careful,” Trump said. “You have some vaccines that are so amazing the polio vaccine, I happen to think is amazing.”

Trump didn’t outright oppose the move but emphasized the need for balance. While opposing coercion, he stopped short of supporting a full repeal of long-standing vaccine mandates for schools.

“You have vaccines that work just pure and simple, they work, they’re not controversial at all,” he added. “And I think those vaccines should be used.”

What’s Happening in Florida:

• Florida officials announced plans to eliminate all vaccine mandates statewide, including for schools a move that would make Florida the first state in the nation to do so.

• Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo declared, “Every last [mandate] is wrong and drips with disdain and slavery.”

• Governor DeSantis reaffirmed his commitment to medical freedom during remarks at the State Freedom Caucus Summit, saying government should not coerce individuals into treatments.

Ladapo framed the decision as a fundamental matter of bodily autonomy and religious liberty:

“Your body is a gift from God,” he said. “What you put into your body is because of your relationship with your body and your God… Government does not have that right.”

The announcement marks the next phase in DeSantis’s war on COVID-era authoritarianism, building on legislation he signed in 2023 that banned mask mandates, prohibited vaccine passports, and protected medical conscience rights for healthcare professionals.

While Trump has championed Operation Warp Speed and the rapid development of the COVID-19 vaccine during his first term, he’s also opposed federal mandates and supported medical choice throughout the pandemic repeatedly slamming Biden’s heavy-handed approach.

Still, Trump’s comments suggest that eliminating all vaccine requirements even for long-standing shots like measles or polio may go too far. The former president appears focused on distinguishing reasonable medical care from government overreach.

“I think people should take [non-controversial vaccines],” Trump said. “Otherwise, some people are going to catch it and they endanger other people.”

Currently, all 50 states require certain vaccines for school entry, though some allow exemptions for medical or religious reasons. Blue states have increasingly clamped down, stripping away religious and philosophical exemptions entirely especially after COVID-19.

Florida’s plan would make it the first state to fully abolish all vaccine requirements for students, sending a clear message to federal health agencies and left-wing governors: you don’t get to parent our children or control our bodies.

Whether other red states follow Florida’s lead remains to be seen. But Trump’s nuanced take could influence how conservatives balance health policy with liberty as 2024 approaches.

One thing is clear: the debate over medical freedom and parental rights isn’t going anywhere, and under conservative leadership, the days of forced compliance are over.

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