Donald Trump’s Second-Term Surge in Aggressive and Anti-Science Policies

President Donald Trump’s second term has revived aggressive foreign posturing, a refusal to sign a bipartisan housing-affordability bill, and actions viewed as attacks on scientific research and public-health programs. The administration frames these moves as ways to lower energy costs, protect security, and restructure federal governance.

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Trump’s first term dismissed NATO as “obsolete,” imposed a travel ban on seven Muslim-majority nations, fired FBI Director James Comey, and oversaw a pandemic response that coincided with over 1 million U.S. COVID-19 deaths. After his 2020 defeat, the 2024 campaign promised a more disciplined administration; early second-term actions included One Big Beautiful Bill, which cut $1 trillion from Medicaid and delivered tax cuts to high-income earners.

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Union of Concerned Scientists logged 574 attacks on science and 187 integrity violations since the term began; One Big Beautiful Bill cut Medicaid by $1 trillion. At Lackland Air Force Base, 300 personnel contracted influenza; four were hospitalized and one death is under investigation. CNN reported 60 % of unvaccinated trainees declined the flu shot. 2026 measles season has recorded 2,134 cases, 93 % among unvaccinated individuals.

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Trump posted on Truth Social that he would not sign the bipartisan housing bill until Congress passed SAVE America Act, describing the legislation as trivial. JD Vance reported that Trump instructed Iran-peace envoys to use the memorandum of understanding to support oil markets and assess strategic options. The Supreme Court ruled the administration can deport hundreds of thousands of Haitians and Syrians. A Pentagon source said flu-vaccine reversal was unrelated to Lackland outbreak.

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Union of Concerned Scientists says anti-science agenda erodes research integrity and health outcomes. Dr. Jess Steier warned that “pretending otherwise does two kinds of harm,” noting loss of measles elimination status. Amanda Marcotte called the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool algae bloom response “painfully stupid.” Critics argue canceling housing-bill signing forfeited a bipartisan win and may worsen affordable-housing shortages.

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Public-health analysts link the Pentagon’s flu-vaccine policy reversal to the Lackland outbreak, while an anonymous Pentagon official attributes the change to coincidence. The administration has not released an impact assessment of the housing-bill cancellation, leaving fiscal and social effects unquantified.

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• “use the [memorandum of understanding] to refill the world’s oil economy, refill some stocks and then to see where the hand is,” — JD Vance, U.S. Senator (quoting President Trump)

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• “so unimportant” — Donald Trump, Truth Social post (housing bill)

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• “Pretending otherwise does two kinds of harm,” — Dr. Jess Steier, CIDRAP op-ed

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• “around 60% of unvaccinated trainees at Lackland initially declined the flu shot.” — CNN report

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The upcoming midterm elections, further Supreme Court immigration rulings, and the administration’s proposed Office of Management and Budget rule changes—intended to limit peer review and international collaboration—will shape these policies. The Vaccine Integrity Project and The Evidence Collective continue efforts to rebuild public confidence in immunization.

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