Donald Trump made a last-minute plea for RFK Jr.‘s confirmation as health secretary, all while making false claims about autism. The president took to Truth Social to defend the nominee, who has a difficult path to confirmation on Tuesday. “20 years ago, Autism in children was 1 in 10,000. NOW IT’S 1 in 34,” he wrote. “WOW! Something’s really wrong. We need BOBBY!!! Thank You!” In 2023, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the autism rate was 1 in 36 for children. The agency said that the higher rates, particularly among non-white children, are possibly due to “improved screening, awareness, and access to services among historically underserved groups.” In 2004, rates were 1 in 125 children, not 1 in 10,000 as the president had claimed. In the past, RFK Jr. had claimed that vaccines can cause autism, a debunked theory. During his hearings last week, Democrats expressed concern for his views on vaccine safety. “I asked you a simple question Bobby,” Senator Bernie Sanders said while grilling the nominee. “Studies all over the world say it does not [cause autism].” RFK Jr. then avoided the question on if vaccines caused autism. Kennedy won a key confirmation vote in the Senate Finance Committee Tuesday and now heads to the Senate floor for a vote by the full 100-member Senate.
