Donald Trump Declares War on Mosquitoes

President Donald Trump declared war on mosquitoes in an executive order signed Tuesday, promising to reduce D.C.’s mosquito population.

The order, issued as an outbreak of dengue fever grips Florida, directs Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, along with other federal officials, to “develop and implement a campaign” over 60 days to cut certain species of invasive mosquitoes by 90 percent.

It also directs efforts to reduce the tick population in the area by 50 percent in two years.

“The campaign should remediate tick and mosquito breeding grounds on lands subject to Federal jurisdiction throughout D.C. using commonsense and technical approaches,” the order states. It adds that the campaign should prioritize using “commercial capabilities” or “cooperative agreements” to reduce the population in D.C.

The order directs several federal agencies to develop a regulatory framework for emerging mosquito- and tick-control technologies, emphasizing non-chemical approaches that officials say are safe and effective.

“Foreign, invasive mosquitoes are multiplying across the United States and have become the dominant species in some areas,” the order states.

It also calls for expanding research into preventing and treating mosquito- and tick-borne diseases, including through new prize competitions, federal research programs and public-private partnerships aimed at accelerating innovation.

The administration has also instructed health and science agencies to build on existing efforts to combat Lyme disease and other vector-borne illnesses, while exploring new technologies that could reduce disease-carrying pest populations.

Federal agencies have also been directed to examine labeling options for products containing significant amounts of alpha-galactose.

The order also pointed to growing concerns about alpha-gal syndrome, a potentially severe red-meat allergy linked to tick bites.

“Americans should be able to enjoy the beauty and health of Our Nation’s Capital without the threat of widespread invasive ticks and mosquito populations. President Trump is Making D.C. Safe and Beautiful Again,” the order concludes.

It comes as the president has moved to implement multiple policies as part of the Make America Healthy Again agenda, as well as multiple beautification efforts in D.C. in tandem with semiquincentennial celebrations this past summer.

Three Florida counties have declared states of emergency as dengue fever cases continue to rise across the state.

The Florida Department of Health reported 190 locally acquired cases so far in 2026 across six counties. Hillsborough County accounted for 170 of those cases. A county spokesperson told the Associated Press earlier this week: “This is wildly unusual for us.”

Weather, including heavy rainfall, is a likely factor in the rise in cases.

Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne viral infection that has rapidly spread in recent years, becoming a global health concern. The dengue virus is transmitted to humans through bites from infected Aedes mosquitoes, primarily Aedes aegypti.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises that most dengue cases occur in travelers, “but local spread is possible.”

The disease is prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, including Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, the Caribbean, South America, and parts of Africa.

Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Matthew Cannon and Sam Wilson.