RFK Jr. to speak at Gavi vaccine fundraiser amid funding concerns

Investing.com - U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will represent the United States at a Gavi fundraising event in Brussels on Wednesday, according to a Reuters report on Monday.

President Donald Trump requested Kennedy, a long-time vaccine skeptic, to attend the conference where the public-private partnership will seek funding for its 2026-2030 operations. Gavi aims to raise $9 billion at the summit to support its work purchasing vaccines for the world’s poorest children.

Kennedy is expected to appear via video and will likely discuss "the restructuring of foreign assistance" rather than commit new U.S. funding, the report added. The Trump administration has previously indicated plans to reduce its Gavi contribution, which currently stands at approximately $300 million annually.

The funding summit comes as multiple governments, including the United Kingdom—Gavi’s largest sovereign donor—plan to reduce their aid budgets. The European Union and the Gates Foundation are co-hosting the event.

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