Trump appoints anti-vaccine activist as US health secretary

6 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Apr 30

The appointee is described as promoting debunked claims that mRNA vaccines are dangerous despite evidence of their effectiveness.
The report says the move reflects a wider US political climate in which public health, scientific facts and the role of government have become deeply polarised.
Drawing on years of election reporting, the author argues this erosion of shared reality now shapes debates from healthcare to democracy, contrasting sharply with wartime Ukraine’s reliance on functioning state institutions.

With AI making deepfakes easy, how can democracies defend against a total erosion of shared truth?

Is America’s deep-seated skepticism of government a fatal flaw or a unique, resilient strength?

When science is officially questioned, what becomes the foundation for a society's public good?

How does a nation at war perceive an ally that deeply distrusts its own government?

Can market-based reforms solve a healthcare crisis that other nations treat as public infrastructure?