Washington DC - President Donald Trump and his administration are reportedly planning to sign an executive order targeting vaccines and autism, despite warnings against doing so.

According to CNN, White House officials have been considering a potential order that is expected to focus on the childhood vaccine schedule and autism research.

Aides and political advisers have been warning against the move, as they fear it could be a political liability for Republicans ahead of the midterm elections in November.

The scope and time of the order remain unclear, and sources say the details are subject to change.

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Trump has long pushed unfounded claims that vaccines cause autism, and upon winning reelection, he tapped Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – a well-known anti-vaccine advocate – to lead the Health Department.

Since taking the role, Kennedy – who promised he would not try to outlaw vaccines – has pushed to make his views more mainstream and attempted to reshape the agency and its long-standing policies on immunization.

Most notably, in January, he managed to slash the number of vaccines the federal government recommends for children from 17 shots to 11 – a move he later claimed would be "better" for the country.

News of the potential order follows recent reporting that Trump has been urging Kennedy behind the scenes to promote theories connecting vaccines and autism more aggressively and to continue pushing to reduce the number of recommended shots.

As Republicans fight to maintain their majorities in both the House and Senate ahead of the midterms, critics within the party have argued that this will not be a winning strategy with voters.