On Monday 22nd of September Donald Trump made an announcement, claiming to have found the ‘answer to Autism’. If you’re anything like me, as soon as you heard this absurd claim you thought oh here we go, off he goes again spewing nonsense! But the reality of the matter is incredibly scary. How can we live in a world where President of the United States is spreading such harmful misinformation?
“Something maybe happens” said Trump, when making his bold claims about the effects of Tylenol on unborn children. Trump claimed that taking Tylenol during pregnancy would cause the child to have an increased likelihood of developing Autism. Tylenol contains 500mg of acetaminophen, better known in the UK as paracetamol. Note that in his speech Trump could not actually correctly pronounce acetaminophen, and yet believes that he “understood a lot more than the people who studied it [Autism].”
He discussed how Autism is ‘increasing’, stating that 18 years ago 1 in 10,000 children had autism vs 1 in 31 today. For starters, I am unsure where he attained these ‘facts’, as other statistics suggest that in the year 2000 Autism prevalence was 1 in 150 (not 10,000). And it only takes a bit of critical thinking to consider the problem with this statistic – over the last 20 years ASD awareness has taken a huge increase, with schools, healthcare providers and parents being more informed than in the past. Children are far more likely to be diagnosed with ASD in 2025, but that does not mean that there are actually more cases than 20 years ago – they were just going unnoticed.
He also claims that there are “certain groups that take no vaccines and have no Autism.” Again, use your critical thinking skills Mr President. He cited the Amish, a group who do not believe in modern medicine and therefore don’t have vaccines or take medicines like Tylenol. He claims that they have no cases of Autism, but it doesn’t seem to be a huge leap to realise that if they do not believe in modern medicine, they also do not take their children to a professional to be diagnosed with ASD.
Perhaps most disturbing were his comments describing Autism as a “horrible, horrible crisis’, in a blatant display of ableism. He goes on to say he wanted to find out “how it happened and where it came from:” – calling Autism ‘it’, presenting ASD as some kind of alien ‘other’; a disaster needing to be eradicated. Essentially painting those with Autism as a problem to be fixed, rather than acknowledging them as individuals with value and agency. This is not new from Trump, a man who consistently seeks to divide and dehumanise.
He says that having autistic children is “a tough situation”, dismissing any kind of complexity or joy. The fact that a man with such a huge platform is spreading harmful speech towards the neurodivergent community is frankly horrifying. And although we discussed the ridiculousness of Trump’s claims, he is not entirely ignorant. He said: “I am not so careful with what I say”. He is aware that what he is saying in not inclusive or socially acceptable and yet chooses to outcast, alienate and fuel unjust stereotypes.
‘Tough it out’, he told pregnant women – easy to say as someone who will never carry a baby. Tylenol (or paracetamol) is considered to be the safest pain-killer to take during pregnancy, with other options like ibuprofen or Advil completely ruled out due to risks for the foetus. Tylenol is commonly used during pregnancy to treat fever – since fevers can lead to premature birth, birth defects or heart problems. Yet, Trump offers no alternative, no medical evidence, and no empathy – only an instruction for women to endure their pain and put their child at risk. This isn’t just medical ignorance; it’s a reflection of a broader pattern in his rhetoric and policies, one that seeks to regulate women’s bodies while denying them agency or authority over their own health.
Alison Singer, President of the Autism Science Foundation said: “It took me straight back to when moms were blamed for autism. If you can’t take the pain or deal with a fever, then it’s your fault if your child has autism. That was shocking. Simply shocking.” To place such huge responsibility and blame on pregnant women is completely unfair, untrue and unjustified.
Sadly, it is entirely unsurprising when we look at his policies and beliefs on abortion. To me it just seems like another way for Trump to undermine women’s autonomy and revives outdated, misogynistic ideals. Suggesting to ‘tough it out’ implies that women’s suffering is natural, even necessary. It’s a familiar trope: that women should be self-sacrificing, stoic, and silent. To deny them access to safe medication under the guise of protecting the unborn only reasserts control over their bodies while appearing morally righteous. Trump’s statement is not just ignorant, but reflective of misogynistic beliefs in which women’s pain is trivialised, their choices policed, and their bodies politicised.
“Nothing bad can happen. It can only good happen”, were Trump’s exact words… *Eye roll*. But despite his failure to form grammatically correct sentences, we cannot just brush his claims aside as ignorant nonsense. He has plenty of fiercely loyal supporters who take his word as gospel, and it’s terrifying to think about the consequences of this for pregnant women everywhere. As President of the United States, his words will undeniably have consequence and he is not just spreading misinformation but also narratives of hate, oppression and separation. Trump’s comments aren’t just careless words, but a reminder of the ableist, sexist and discriminatory narratives that underpin his policies.