WASHINGTON — President Trump nominated biosafety consultant Sean Kaufman to be Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response on July 10, 2026. If confirmed, Kaufman would oversee the nation's countermeasures in public health crises, including vaccines and personal protective equipment.

In a May 2025 LinkedIn post, Kaufman argued against giving infants the hepatitis B shot and suggested a link to autism. He wrote, "Questions surrounding vaccine safety — be it recombinant or mRNA platforms — are not just hypothetical concerns but critical issues that demand honest investigation." In the same post, he stated, "The significant increases in autism, allergies, and other health issues are not mere coincidences or artifacts of better detection — they are signals that deserve our full attention." He also wrote, "We owe it to the public, especially to those who may have been unintentionally harmed, to move beyond dismissive rhetoric and into transparent, science-based discussions." In a May 2025 video, Kaufman questioned giving hepatitis B shots to infants and downplayed the risks of the virus.

Kaufman called offering mRNA Covid-19 vaccines "reckless" and said he was censored for promoting "the benefits of natural immunity." In a past LinkedIn post, he described himself as a "father of three who would rather perish than have any one of his children receive an injection where the risks soundly outweigh the benefits gained," referring to Covid-19 shots. Kaufman has served as an expert witness in cases opposing vaccine mandates and praised efforts by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services, to rescind universal recommendations for Covid-19 vaccines. In 2025, a panel of vaccine experts appointed by Kennedy recommended that most parents delay giving their children the hepatitis B vaccine, a recommendation currently on hold due to a legal challenge in federal court.

Kaufman's confirmation hearing is scheduled for the week following July 10, 2026. Senator Bill Cassidy will chair the hearing, which will include a joint appearance with Erica Schwartz, the nominee for director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In a May 2025 LinkedIn post, Kaufman wrote, "if you call me 'an antivaxxer, then I'll be forced to call you a pedophile'."