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Trump's pick for HHS deputy secretary, Chris Klomp, voiced support for the MMR vaccine at his Senate confirmation hearing — but his hedged comments on vaccines and autism drew sharp criticism from Democratic senators. Sen. Ron Wyden announced he'd oppose Klomp's confirmation, citing "confusion" on vaccine messaging at a time when measles rates are at their highest in decades.
Trump's nominee for HHS deputy secretary, Chris Klomp, faced tough questioning at his Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing Tuesday, particularly over his views on vaccines. Klomp called the MMR vaccine "the single most effective public health tool we have against measles" — but then added uncertainty by saying the country still doesn't know what causes autism, a comment that drew immediate pushback from Democratic senators.
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) criticized Klomp's testimony as a "word salad," saying his answers left people confused at a time when measles cases are at their highest in decades. Wyden announced he would "vigorously" oppose Klomp's confirmation. Republican committee chair Sen. Mike Crapo, meanwhile, defended Klomp as "completely and well qualified."
The hearing also touched on a Trump executive order recommending that parents opt for separate vaccines for each MMR component — a move Sen. Maggie Hassan called scientifically unsupported and counterproductive. Other topics included Medicare physician payment disparities, prior authorization reform, pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) transparency, and an FDA safety review of mifepristone.
Key Takeaways:
Why it matters: With measles surging and public vaccine confidence fragile, the messaging from top HHS officials carries real public health weight. Ambiguous statements from a nominee at this level could further erode trust in vaccines at a critical moment.
