Early in President Donald Trump’s (R) second term, his administration took historic steps to reduce crime in Washington, D.C. The Trump administration soon spread this philosophy across America. This is part of the reason the FBI recently reported that murder and non-negligent manslaughter declined an estimated 18.1 percent, with the rate falling to 4.1 per 100,000 in 2025, which ties the lowest levels ever recorded in 1955 and 1956.
Now President Trump is using this model to reduce mosquito and tick-carried diseases, including the alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), a tick-carried molecule linked to a potentially serious human allergy to red meat and other mammalian products. (AGS is primarily transmitted from bites from the lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum) in the U.S.)
With an executive order, President Trump has directed various government agencies to develop environmentally safe methods to control mosquitos and ticks in Washington, D.C., with a stated goal of next spreading the idea from sea to shining sea.
“The Order directs the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Administrator of General Services, along with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to develop and implement a campaign across Washington, D.C. to reduce invasive mosquito populations by 90 percent and the tick population by 50 percent by 2028 using safe and effective, non-chemical, and innovative technology-enabled methods,” says a White House fact sheet.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has already been studying ticks associated with AGS to develop solutions. This includes work on the lone star tick’s saliva (which contains alpha-gal), related enzymes (e.g., a novel cholinesterase) and bacterial endosymbionts in the tick that may influence its ability to trigger the syndrome.
The executive order also directs the Secretary of Agriculture and other agencies to:
- Explore options for labeling food and drug products containing significant amounts of alpha-galactose, similar to other allergy warnings.
- Participate in a campaign to reduce tick populations in Washington, D.C., on federal lands using safe, non-chemical, technology-enabled methods, with potential broader application.
- Support additional prize competitions or research programs for non-chemical ways to reduce tick- and mosquito-borne diseases.
Whitetail deer are considered to be key hosts for lone star ticks, so hunters in infected areas should be aware of the danger. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that populations of lone star ticks are currently in about 33 states and the District of Columbia. Some of the highest densities are in areas of Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky and Virginia.
Not every lone star tick carries AGS and only a portion of people develop the allergy to red meat; still, with deer hunting seasons ongoing across America, this is something hunters need to be prepared to avoid when hunting and handling game.
“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,” says the White House fact sheet.
Indeed, solutions are needed to control and treat tick-carried illnesses across America.
