In The Politics of Autism, I analyze the myth that vaccines cause autism. This bogus idea can hurt people by allowing diseases to spread. Examples include measles, COVID, flu, and polio.
A number of posts discussed Trump's support for the discredited notion.
Another leading anti-vaxxer is presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. He has repeatedly compared vaccine mandates to the Holocaust. Rolling Stone and Salon retracted an RFK article linking vaccines to autism. He is part of the "Disinformation Dozen."
He is now Trump's nominee to head HHS.
Trump defended his controversial pick for Health and Human Services secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — and seemed to suggest he would allow Kennedy to probe for links between vaccines and autism, despite no evidence supporting the connection that Kennedy has long claimed exists.
Trump pointed to rises in diagnoses of autism, childhood cancer and chronic diseases, and said that “something’s wrong.”
“Together, we’re going to make America healthy again,” Trump said. “Something bad is happening.”
Kennedy’s long history of vaccine skepticism has been a source of focus for some Republican senators who are meeting with Trump’s Cabinet nominees ahead of confirmation hearings. Both Kennedy and Trump have in recent weeks sought to address those concerns — with Trump at a recent news conference describing himself as a “a big believer in the polio vaccine” and Kennedy saying he’s “all for” the vaccine.
Still, at the same news conference, Trump similarly noted higher autism rates, and said he wants Kennedy to “come back with a report as to what he thinks. We’re going to find out a lot.”
Trump on RFK Jr: 25 years ago, Autism, one in 10,000 children. Today, it's one in 36 children. Is something wrong? I think so. And Robert and, I.. we're going to figure it out. pic.twitter.com/SjQy9JDAjb
— Acyn (@Acyn) December 22, 2024
