US to restore $600 million in frozen funding to Gavi vaccine alliance

The United States will restore $600 million in funding to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, more than a year after the Trump administration abruptly halted contributions. Senator Susan Collins, who chairs a powerful Senate budget committee, announced on July 28, 2026, that the State Department had committed to releasing the full amount originally allocated by Congress. The freeze, imposed in June 2025, was driven by Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr., a prominent vaccine skeptic.

Gavi's global immunization role

Founded in 2000, Gavi brings together public and private donors to help developing countries procure vaccines at affordable prices. The alliance has immunized more than one billion children against deadly diseases since its inception, according to Le Figaro. Before the freeze, the United States contributed nearly a quarter of Gavi's budget, making it the largest single donor. The organization also plays a critical part in outbreak response, currently working on a vaccine for the rare Ebola Bundibugyo strain.

The 2025 freeze and Kennedy's objections

In June 2025, the Trump administration stopped all US funding to Gavi. Kennedy, then the newly appointed health secretary, accused the alliance of neglecting vaccine safety. He stated that the United States would not contribute "further" until Gavi regained "public trust."

Gavi has neglected the essential question of vaccine safety.

The decision drew concern from global health experts, who warned that cutting off a quarter of Gavi's budget would undermine immunization programs in low-income countries.

Collins announces the reversal

On Tuesday, Senator Collins, described as a Republican in one report and a Democrat in another, said the State Department's commitment followed recent interventions by lawmakers. She stressed that the funds had been "allocated by Congress" and were intended for an organization that plays an "essential role in preventing the spread of preventable diseases worldwide and stopping epidemics before they reach US borders."

It is good news that after our recent interventions the State Department has committed to providing the full $600 million intended for Gavi.

These funds were allocated by Congress and should benefit an organization playing an essential role in preventing the spread of preventable diseases worldwide and stopping epidemics before they reach US borders.

A Gavi spokesperson responded: "We are grateful to the United States for their intention to provide funding to Gavi."

State Department's earlier signal

The restoration did not come without prior indication. In June 2026, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told a Senate committee that the State Department was preparing to resume negotiations with Gavi. He acknowledged the need to consider Kennedy's perspective while seeking an outcome acceptable to Congress and US global health objectives. That move was seen as a first step toward resolving the funding dispute.

We want to take into account the point of view of Robert Kennedy Jr., but we would like to see this issue resolved with an acceptable outcome both for the US Congress that allocated funds to the organization and for our global health goals.

Ongoing Ebola outbreak response

Gavi's work extends beyond routine immunization. The alliance is currently involved in efforts to develop a vaccine against the Ebola Bundibugyo strain, which is fueling an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. The restoration of US funding is expected to support these efforts, though no timeline for the disbursement was provided.

The sequence of events spans the June 2025 freeze, the June 2026 State Department signal, and the July 28, 2026 announcement by Senator Collins.