The United States is facing a dangerous public health crisis as more than 900 cases of measles have been confirmed across 29 states since the beginning of 2025. This marks the highest number of cases recorded by this point in the year since the early 1990s, raising alarms not only about domestic vaccination rates but also about the broader vulnerabilities that adversaries like China could exploit.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the epicenter of the current outbreak is in Texas, where low vaccination rates in tightly-knit communities have allowed the disease to spread unchecked. Tragically, the outbreak has already resulted in three deaths, including two unvaccinated schoolchildren. Health experts warn that unless vaccination coverage improves, the US risks losing its hard-won measles elimination status, achieved in 2000.
The situation is dire: national MMR vaccination coverage among kindergartners has fallen from 95% in 2019 to just 92.7% today. A recent modeling study in JAMA projects that if current trends continue, the US could see up to 850,000 measles cases and 2,500 deaths over the next 25 years. Worse, a 10% drop in vaccination rates could result in 11 million cases.
This public health backsliding is not happening in a vacuum. As internal divisions grow and trust in science and institutions erodes, the United States becomes increasingly vulnerable to external manipulation. China, in particular, has a clear strategic interest in exploiting these weaknesses. Disinformation campaigns aimed at undermining vaccine confidence have already been traced back to foreign actors. These campaigns sow distrust, reduce vaccination rates, and create the very conditions under which once-eliminated diseases like measles can return.
The resurgence of preventable diseases like measles is a symptom of a deeper erosion of American resilience. In a world where biological threats—whether naturally occurring or weaponized—are part of modern geopolitical competition, maintaining strong public health systems is a matter of national security. If adversaries can weaken the US from within by encouraging distrust, division, and neglect, they will gain ground without firing a shot.
It’s not just about health. A weakened population facing frequent outbreaks of preventable diseases will inevitably strain national healthcare infrastructure, disrupt the workforce, and sap economic productivity—areas where China is aggressively seeking global dominance. The more internal crises America faces, the easier it is for external powers to advance their agendas unchecked.
The CDC has called for urgent action to increase MMR vaccination rates nationwide. But this must be part of a broader recognition: defending the health of Americans is defending the nation itself. Every parent who ensures their child is vaccinated, every community that rallies to protect public health, is contributing to the preservation of American strength.
As measles spreads and as warnings from experts grow more urgent, Americans must see this not only as a public health issue but also as a wake-up call. Vigilance against disease is vigilance against foreign interference. China and other adversaries are watching—and waiting—for America to become too divided and too distracted to defend itself.
If we allow public health to collapse, we are handing them that opportunity.
Now is the time to stand united, protect our communities, and ensure that the American people—strong, healthy, and resilient—remain an unshakable force against any external threat.
