Trump’s State of the Union: Health Agenda Takes a Backseat

U.S. President Donald Trump delivered a lengthy State of the Union address on February 24, 2026, covering a wide range of topics including immigration, the economy, military strikes on Iran and crime. Still, a key component of his administration’s second-term agenda – “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) – received minimal attention during the speech.

The Diminished Role of MAHA

The MAHA movement, spearheaded by Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., had previously focused on removing ultraprocessed ingredients from food, revising national dietary guidance, and questioning vaccine efficacy. Under Kennedy’s leadership, the Department of Health and Human Services had initiated changes, including an altered vaccine schedule recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reducing the number of routinely recommended childhood vaccines from 17 to 11.

These changes have faced criticism, as childhood vaccination rates have declined globally since the COVID pandemic, despite the continued widespread acceptance of routine childhood vaccines among physicians and medical experts. The lack of emphasis on MAHA in Trump’s address, coupled with recent leadership changes within HHS, suggests a potential deemphasizing of the movement and its associated antivaccine efforts ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

Limited Healthcare Focus in the Address

During the one-hour-and-48-minute speech, Trump dedicated fewer than five minutes to healthcare. He mentioned TrumpRx, his prescription drug pricing program, and his commitment to making in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment more affordable, but did not mention the MAHA movement at all.

Internal Disagreements and Shifting Priorities

Cracks within the MAHA movement have emerged in recent months. Some supporters have expressed concerns over Kennedy’s support for Trump’s executive order promoting the production of glyphosate, a weed killer identified by public health experts as a “probable carcinogen.”

Despite these internal disagreements, the MAHA movement continues to have representation within the administration. Trump’s surgeon general pick, Casey Means, appeared before a Senate committee for a confirmation hearing, advocating for the role of a healthy diet in disease prevention – a central tenet of the MAHA movement.

Political Considerations and the Midterm Elections

Ahead of Trump’s speech, some Republicans voiced concerns about potential electoral losses in the upcoming midterm elections. It remains to be seen whether the Trump administration will distance itself from the more controversial aspects of Kennedy’s agenda and focus on more broadly popular areas, such as nutrition.