Trump says RFK Jr. will investigate the discredited link between vaccines and autism: ‘Somebody has to find out’
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Trump Backs RFK Jr.'s Plan to Study Vaccines and Rising Autism Rates
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Above: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks during a campaign rally for then-Republican presidential nominee, former Pres.-elect Donald Trump at Macomb Community College on Nov. 1, 2024, in Warren, Michigan. Image copyright: Chip Somodevilla/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
US Pres.-elect Donald Trump suggested during an NBC interview aired Sunday that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.), his nominee for Health Secretary, would investigate the rise in autism rates, including the idea that it's caused by vaccines.
In the interview, Trump acknowledged the value of certain vaccinations, particularly praising the polio vaccine. However, he stated that, though some "are incredible...maybe some aren't," adding "if they aren't, we have to find out."
The Spin
Narrative A
The dramatic increase in autism rates over the past 25 years demands an investigation into potential environmental causes, whether they be vaccines or something else. The current health system also needs reform to ensure proper vaccine safety testing and transparent research into the chronic health crisis affecting American children.
Narrative B
Scientific evidence conclusively shows no link between vaccines and autism, with hundreds of studies confirming vaccine safety. The rise in autism diagnoses has been attributed to better screening, expanded diagnostic criteria, and increased awareness, not to vaccines or any other external factors.
