Trump Orders Deletion of Federal Vaccine Mandate Records

The Trump administration has instructed all federal agencies to delete records concerning employees' COVID-19 vaccination status, noncompliance with vaccine mandates, or exemption requests, reversing previous pandemic-era policies. This move follows a legal settlement with Feds For Freedom, which had challenged the mandates' constitutionality. Agencies must expunge these records within 90 days unless employees choose to opt out, and vaccine status can no longer factor into employment decisions. The Department of Justice agreed to the settlement without admitting wrongdoing. Compliance with the order is required by September 8. Separately, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faces lawsuits for altering COVID-19 vaccine guidelines and changing the makeup of the vaccine advisory committee.