Donald Trump's Latest Comments About Autism Are So Shocking You'll Have To Re-Read What He Said

Date:2025-08-27 06:21:13 Category:News Views:1 Comment:0

President Donald Trump continued to float baseless conspiracies about the causes of autism during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

A person in a suit gestures emphatically in a formal setting with flags in the background — Bloomberg / Getty Images

“There has to be something artificially causing this, meaning a drug or something,” Trump said to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during the meeting. “And I know you’re looking very strongly into the things, and I hope you can come out with that as soon as possible.”

I don’t know who this is, but they are in a meeting, wearing a suit and tie, and gesturing with their hands — Bloomberg / Getty Images

Trump was responding to Kennedy’s claim that he knows what is “almost certainly” causing autism.

A person in a suit sits at a table with flags in the background, appearing to speak or listen during an event — Bloomberg / Getty Images

“We’re finding certain interventions now that are clearly, almost certainly causing autism,” Kennedy said. “We’re going to be able to address those in September.”

A man in a pinstripe suit gestures while speaking at a formal gathering. A woman sits beside him, listening attentively — Mandel Ngan / Getty Images

Kennedy, a prolific vaccine skeptic now in charge of the country’s leading health agency, has routinely suggested that the shots cause autism. Researchers have found there is no single cause of autism, but that factors, including genetics, play a role, according to the National Institutes of Health.

A man in a tailored suit with a polka dot tie appears serious, surrounded by individuals in a professional setting — Tom Williams / Getty Images

That hasn’t stopped Kennedy ― and Trump ― from continuing to disparage life-saving vaccines. In April, Kennedy baselessly said that the measles vaccine “contains a lot of aborted fetus debris and DNA particles,” even as cases of measles began to rise, hitting more than 1,000 cases by July.

Two men in suits standing at a podium with a presidential seal, one speaking into a microphone. The background includes official decor — Andrew Harnik / Getty Images

In June, a leading coronavirus vaccine adviser at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention resigned over what she called her inability to help the “most vulnerable” after a recommendation to immunize children and pregnant women for the virus was rescinded.

Sign for the CDC's David J. Sencer Museum with modern buildings in the background — Bloomberg / Getty Images

During a House hearing in May, Kennedy said his opinions on vaccines are irrelevant, even as he has been given the power to change vaccination policy on a national scale.

A person in a suit speaks at a podium, gesturing with both hands, in front of official-looking banners — Alex Wong / Getty Images

“My opinions about vaccines are irrelevant,” Kennedy said. “I don’t want to seem like I’m being evasive, but I don’t think people should be taking medical advice from me.”

A man in a suit and tie walks with a group of people in formal attire — Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images

During Tuesday’s cabinet meeting, Kennedy promised to have a full report out in September on the causes of autism. Both Kennedy and Trump expressed alarm at what they see as a rise in autism cases. However, experts have primarily attributed an increase in reported cases to more awareness and improved diagnostic capabilities.

A group of men seated at a long table in a formal meeting room with flags in the background — Bloomberg / Getty Images

“I think we maybe know the reason,” Trump said of a possible cause of autism. “And I look forward to that press conference, and to be with you on that press conference.”