Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Tuesday he is on track to identify "interventions" that are "certainly causing autism" and to outline possible ways to address them by September, after President Donald Trump pressed him for an update during a Cabinet meeting.
Robert Kennedy Jr. Promises Trump Announcements In September
"The autism is such a tremendous horror show… How are you doing?" Trump asked, according to a report by The Hill. "We are doing very well… We will have announcements as promised in September, finding interventions… now that are clearly almost certainly causing autism," Kennedy Jr. replied.
In April, Kennedy Jr. vowed to determine the cause of rising autism diagnoses, calling it an "epidemic" that "dwarfs the COVID epidemic." He repeated the theme in radio remarks later that month, drawing criticism from advocates who found the language stigmatizing.
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Experts Cite Detection Gains Behind Rising Autism Diagnoses
Federal data show autism is commonly identified today. About 1 in 31 U.S. children aged 8 were identified with autism in 2022, according to the CDC. Among adults, estimates suggest roughly 1 in 45 Americans are on the spectrum. Many experts attribute rising figures over decades largely to broadened diagnostic criteria, improved screening and awareness, not a single new cause.
Kennedy’s Loud Claims Against Vaccines Have Repeatedly Met Criticism
Major autism organizations and medical experts caution that there is no credible evidence that vaccines cause autism, a theory Kennedy has advanced for years. The Autism Society, which is a national charitable organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals on the autism spectrum, said the administration's promise to pinpoint and "eliminate" exposures that "cause" autism is misleading and risks harm.
It is worth noting that researchers and independent fact-checkers have repeatedly found vaccine–autism claims unsupported by science.
Kennedy's broader record on vaccines has drawn sustained scrutiny since his selection and confirmation push, including concerns from policy scholars and physicians about misinformation and pressure on vaccine programs. Markets and health leaders reacted when Trump first floated Kennedy for a senior health role in late 2024 and has since led to high-profile resignations and disputes over vaccine policy.
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