“It Could If I Think It’s Dangerous,” Trump Says He May Cut Vaccines After Discussion with RFK Jr.
© rr.
President-elect Donald Trump has again sparked controversy with his remarks about vaccines, stating that he will consult with anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on which vaccinations the federal government should cut. Trump’s comments, which invoked the debunked conspiracy theory linking vaccines to autism, were met with widespread concern and condemnation.
In an interview with TIME magazine for its 2024 Person of the Year feature, Trump was asked about ending childhood vaccination programs. He responded that he would have a “big discussion” with Kennedy, who had been nominated to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) despite lacking medical training.
“The autism rate is at a level that nobody ever believed possible,” Trump said, continuing to promote the false claim that vaccines are causing autism. TIME quickly debunked the claim, noting that the alleged link between vaccines and autism is based on a discredited study from the 1990s.
Trump further fueled concerns, stating, “If I think they are not beneficial, but I don’t think it’s going to be very controversial in the end,” when discussing the potential elimination of some vaccinations. Reuters also reported that Trump indicated he could cut certain vaccines “if I think it’s dangerous.”
Although Trump did not explicitly claim that vaccines cause autism, he suggested that his administration would conduct “very serious testing” to determine which vaccines are safe. This proposal drew strong criticism from public health experts. Dr. Ashish Kumar Jha, the Dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, called Trump’s remarks an “extraordinarily bad idea,” noting that Kennedy, who has no medical expertise, should not be involved in vaccine decisions.
Dr. Priya Pal from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis expressed disbelief, referencing historical figures like Pasteur and Salk, who worked tirelessly to prevent childhood diseases. “Never could Pasteur, Salk, Jenner, Sabin have imagined people celebrating the return of childhood diseases that they and others worked so hard to prevent,” she said.
Pediatrician Dr. Annie Andrews responded sarcastically, saying, “Congratulations preventable infectious diseases!” Infectious disease physician Apu Akkad also expressed concern, emphasizing that RFK Jr. should not decide on vaccine policies without proper data.
TIME also addressed Trump’s claim about the rising autism rate, explaining that increased diagnoses are largely due to better awareness, improved screening, and changes in diagnostic criteria, not vaccines. Kennedy has repeatedly stated his belief that “There’s no vaccine that is, you know, safe and effective,” further complicating the conversation.
