Trump Refuses To Say Whether He Thinks Vaccines Are Linked To Autism
President-elect Donald Trump would not denounce the false conspiracy theory that childhood vaccines have caused autism rates to rise, saying instead that he would listen to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the anti-vaccine advocate he wants to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.
“The autism rate is at a level that nobody ever believed possible. If you look at things that are happening, there’s something causing it,” Trump told a reporter for Time Magazine.
The lengthy interview was published Thursday as the magazine named Trump its “Person of the Year,” a title that has gone to a wide variety of public figures since the early 20th century.
At one point in the interview, Trump was asked point-blank whether he would push back against Kennedy were he to try to end federal funding for childhood vaccinations.
“We’re going to have a big discussion,” Trump replied. But then he immediately brought up autism, saying “something” must be causing higher rates.
Numerous studies have debunked a link between autism and vaccines. Experts believe part of the rise in autism diagnoses can be attributed to improvements in doctors’ ability to identify it.
Asked to clarify whether he believes autism is linked to vaccines, Trump replied: “No, I’m going to be listening to Bobby, who I’ve really gotten along with great and I have a lot of respect for having to do with food, having to do with vaccinations.”
Trump suggested he and Kennedy might reevaluate existing vaccines on the market and eliminate some of them if he believes they are “dangerous” or “not beneficial.”
“I don’t think it’s going to be very controversial in the end,” Trump said.
Pressed to clarify his stance on vaccines and autism, Trump suggested he was commissioning studies, although he did not provide details and such efforts can take years to complete.
“I want to see the numbers. It’s going to be the numbers,” Trump said. “A lot of people think a lot of different things. And at the end of the studies that we’re doing, and we’re going all out, we’re going to know what’s good and what’s not good. We will know for sure what’s good and what’s not good.”
Democracy In The Balance
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Even a small drop in the rate of childhood vaccinations can lead to deadly outbreaks of disease. In 2019, months after Kennedy visited Samoa with his nonprofit group to bolster anti-vaccine misinformation, a measles outbreak killed 83 people. Kennedy has denied his connection to the outbreak.
The Senate still must approve Kennedy’s Cabinet nomination, which has faced high-profile criticism, with 77 Nobel laureates this week signing a letter in opposition.
“In addition to his lack of credentials or relevant experiences in medicine, science, public health or administration, Mr. Kennedy has been an opponent of many health-protecting and life-saving vaccines,” the letter, obtained by The New York Times, reads.
