Trump Announces Executive Order to Separate MMR Vaccine into Three Injections

President Donald Trump indicated that an executive order to be signed later today will require the combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine to be administered in three separate single-disease injections, rather than the current single combined shot. The draft order, obtained by a news outlet, states that the split should occur "once such products are domestically available" and that "all childhood immunizations should be administered at separate medical visits" where feasible. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt described the measure as providing "more vaccine flexibility and research," and noted that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. would be present for the signing.

During a press briefing, Trump suggested that the change could reduce the number of autism diagnoses, although health officials emphasized that no scientific evidence links the MMR vaccine to autism. He also referenced a speculative "5% chance" that the combined vaccine could be "explosive," without identifying the source of that claim.

Separately, Iran reiterated that it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz unless the United States meets several conditions, including compensation for damages incurred during recent hostilities and the lifting of sanctions. A U.S. official confirmed that Iran and Oman are close to finalizing a new shipping-lane agreement.

In other news, a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia, killing at least 20 people and causing widespread building collapses. The epicenter was near San José del Palmar in the Chocó region, and the tremor was felt in neighboring Ecuador.

"The combined MMR vaccine should be administered in three separate single-disease shots once such products are domestically available," the draft executive order reads.

"I see that Representatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran are asking for compensation for the damage done to them during the last five-month military conflict," Trump wrote on social media.

The administration’s vaccine proposal has drawn criticism from public-health experts who warn that requiring multiple appointments could lower overall vaccination rates and increase the risk of preventable disease outbreaks.