RFK Jr.‘s old controversial claim about children with autism has resurfaced, where he said that they “will never pay taxes.” Netizens have revisited the remark following a recent X post, featuring a video of the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services making a promise to parents with autistic kids.
RFK Jr.’s old comments on autism resurfaces
A conservative X page called MAHA Action has recently shared a video of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. reportedly stating that “families of children with autism will not be left to face the challenges alone.” The clip shared on April 6 shows the Secretary of Health and Human Services stating, “Raising a child with autism and being a person with autism comes with a lot of challenges. Despite its prevalence, families often feel that they carry the weight alone.”
Kennedy Jr. continues, “Despite its prevalence, families often feel that they carry the weight alone. And let me assure you that with this administration, you do not.” He added, “My commitment to you is that there’s nothing about you without you. You are citizens with rights, with talents, and with a future that this government has a responsibility to support.”
The post has since prompted some netizens to revisit his earlier claim on autism. During a 2025 press conference, Kennedy Jr. made a controversial comment about children diagnosed with autism, sparking widespread backlash. He responded to a new CDC study that says 3% of all U.S. children have autism, describing the rise in the diagnosis as an “epidemic.” (via PEOPLE)
“One of the things that I think that we need to move away from today is this ideology that…the autism prevalence increase, the relentless increases, are simply artifacts of better diagnoses, better recognition, or changing diagnostic criteria,” RFK Jr. said. He added, “This epidemic denial has become a feature in mainstream media.”
Kennedy Jr. has often pushed the widely discredited claim that vaccines cause autism. He has repeatedly dismissed expert findings on the matter, noting that the rise in diagnoses can be explained by better awareness and understanding of the condition. The Health and Human Services Secretary drew further criticism for making a series of claims about children with autism that experts have widely proven to be false.
“Autism destroys families, and more importantly, it destroys our greatest resource, which is our children. These are children who should not be suffering like this,” RFK Jr. said at the time. “These are kids who 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.”
Several public figures with autistic children have slammed Kennedy for his remarks. Talk show host and comedian Rosie O’Donnell and actress Holly Robinson Peete, who both have young children with autism, spoke out against Kennedy Jr. in social media posts at the time.
Originally reported by Namrata Ghosh on Mandatory.
