What does RFK Jr think causes autism in children?

Despite looking (and acting) like an alien inhabiting a decomposing flesh suit, Robert F. Kennedy Jr is somehow the United States’ Health Secretary. Not to put too fine a point on it but the man clearly has a head full of bad wiring, but as a carnivorous worm ate part of his brain, perhaps that’s to be expected.

Kennedy’s current mission is to take on autism, which he began last night by dismissing children with autism as society’s dead weight, claiming that they “will never pay taxes, they’ll never hold a job, they’ll never play baseball, they’ll never write a poem, they’ll never go out on a date, many of them will never use a toilet unassisted.”

So, what warped ideas does Kennedy actually believe in? Roll up your sleeves and pull on your latex gloves, because we’re going to root around in that tortured cranium for some answers.

RFK Jr and autism

Today, 1 in 36 children are diagnosed with autism, a dramatic rise from 1 in 333 in 1990, which is an 825% increase.

During this time, more and more untested chemicals are put in the food we eat every day, and in the air we breathe, and more vaccines are injected into our… pic.twitter.com/dLSOHubRQp

— Robert F. Kennedy Jr. | Commentary only (@RFKJr_Official) April 16, 2025

Kennedy Jr. argues that autism is primarily triggered by environmental factors, which have created what he bills as an “autism epidemic.” He thinks exposure to “toxins” during critical developmental periods – particularly before birth or early childhood – is the root cause of autism.

He points to the increase in autism diagnoses, which he says may be caused by the following: mold, food additives, pesticides, air pollution, and, notably, certain “medicines.” Folded into that is the non-too-subtle insinuation that none of this is by accident, whether by the actions of shady government or corporate actors.

Kennedy has a history of being firmly anti-vaccine, promoting the repeatedly debunked theory linking them, particularly those containing the preservative thimerosal, to autism. He’s also suspicious of pesticides like glyphosate, heavy metals in air and water, and food additives as potential contributors to autism. He also highlights mold exposure, citing anecdotal cases where children developed autism-like symptoms after living in mold-infested environments. More recently, he’s added ultrasound scans to his list of bugbears, presumably to terrify moms-to-be even more.

It cannot be underlined enough that all of Kennedy’s beliefs run counter to the evidence produced by the scientific community. Their position is that the roots of autism are complex and currently unknown, though they are theorized to be a mix of genetic predispositions and unknown environmental influences. Boiling that down to a “toxin” that must be avoided is simplifying the matter to a ridiculous degree.

In ordinary times, Kennedy’s crackpot ideas and complete distrust of the medical and scientific community would make him the absolute last person you want as U.S. Secretary of Health. However, he did a deal with Donald Trump to drop out of the 2024 presidential race and endorse him, and being given this top job was his price. So buckle up America, and uh, try not to die.