This week, President Donald Trump called Operation Warp Speed, a public-private federal program that helped speed up the development and distribution of mRNA Covid-19 vaccines in record time “one of the most incredible things ever done in this country.

In justifying the government's termination of $500 million in funding for mRNA vaccine projects, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. falsely claimed mRNA vaccines "fail to protect effectively" against COVID-19 and suggested they are unsafe.

While anti-vaxxers are thrilled, experts warn that defunding mRNA development takes away our already-proven best weapon against future pandemics.