U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order stopping all federal funding to schools and universities that mandate COVID-19 vaccines for students.
"That solves that problem," said Trump in the Oval Office after signing the document.
This order aims to eliminate federal support for any entity that requires proof of vaccination against the coronavirus as a condition for in-person school attendance.
The White House confirmed the directive instructs the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education to establish guidelines for compliance and to develop a plan to end what the administration describes as "coercive" COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
The move comes as part of a broader push by the Trump administration to roll back vaccine mandates instituted during the pandemic.
Critics of the order argue it could undermine public health efforts, potentially leading to lower vaccination rates among students, while supporters see it as a step toward restoring personal freedoms in education.
