RFK Jr. Shocked At ‘Tsunami Of Anger' Over Autism Comments
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appeared confused Tuesday over the 'tsunami of anger' caused by a series of offensive comments he made about autism.
Appearing on 'Jesse Watters Primetime' on Fox News, Kennedy suggested he was baffled at the 'wave of anger' because 'I announced that we're going to find the cause of autism,' sidestepping the fact that it was largely his commentary that caused the backlash.
Kennedy, a vaccine skeptic who has spread widely disproven theories that shots are linked to autism, continued, 'We'll have answers within six months. We'll have definitive answers within a year, and then we'll be able to eliminate the exposures. And this kind of tsunami of anger against me for making that announcement was almost incomprehensible to me.'
Doubling down, Kennedy added, 'We know it's an epidemic.'
Earlier this month, Kennedy called the disorder a 'preventable disease' and an 'epidemic' as he announced his department would by September identify what is causing a surge in cases.
In particular, critics called out Kennedy's assessment of autistic individuals' capabilities.
'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,' the health secretary said.
He later said he was only referring to 25% of the population with autism, such as those who are 'nonverbal.'
Gwen Walz, the wife of Minnesota Gov. and former Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz (D), condemned Kennedy's remarks, calling them 'deeply upsetting, especially coming from our nation's highest-ranking health official.'
The Walzes told People magazine last year that they discovered their son, Gus, had a learning disorder, an anxiety disorder and ADHD when he was a teenager.
Medical expertsattribute the rise in autism rates to improved diagnostic capabilities, a broadened definition of autism and increased awareness.
The National Institutes of Health say researchers believe a combination of factors, including genetics, play a role in causing autism.
In the Tuesday interview, Kennedy also made bizarre comments about the level of testosterone in American teens, claiming youngsters have 'less testosterone than a 68-year-old man.'
'Sperm counts are down 50%,' he said as he championed an initiative to cut artificial food dyes in food.
Gwen Walz Skewers RFK Jr. Over 'Deeply Upsetting' Autism Comments — And She Doesn't Hold Back
'Daily Show' Shuts Down RFK Jr.'s 'Ridiculous' Autism Claims With 1 Familiar Source
RFK Jr. Says We'll Soon Know What's Fueling The Autism Epidemic. His Prediction Is Wild.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
34 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Measles outbreaks in Michigan and Pennsylvania end, while Texas logs just 4 new cases
The U.S. logged 122 more cases of measles last week — but only four of them in Texas — while the outbreaks in Pennsylvania and Michigan officially ended. There were 1,168 confirmed measles cases in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday. Health officials in Texas, where the nation's biggest outbreak raged during the late winter and spring, said they'll now post case counts only once a week — yet another sign the outbreak is slowing. There are three other major outbreaks in North America. The longest, in Ontario, Canada, has resulted in 2,009 cases from mid-October through June 3. The province logged its first death Thursday in a baby that got congenital measles but also had other preexisting conditions. Another outbreak in Alberta, Canada, has sickened 761 as of Thursday. And the Mexican state of Chihuahua had 1,940 measles cases and four deaths as of Friday, according to data from the state health ministry. Other U.S. states with active outbreaks — which the CDC defines as three or more related cases — include Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio and Oklahoma. In the U.S., two elementary school-aged children in the epicenter in West Texas and an adult in New Mexico have died of measles this year. All were unvaccinated. Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus that's airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines, and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000. How many measles cases are there in Texas? There were a total of 742 cases across 35 counties, most of them in West Texas, state health officials said Friday. Throughout the outbreak, 94 people have been hospitalized. State health officials estimated less than 1% of cases — fewer than 10 — are actively infectious. Fifty-five percent of Texas' cases are in Gaines County, where the virus started spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community. The county has had 411 cases since late January — just under 2% of the county's residents. The April 3 death in Texas was an 8-year-old child, according to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Local health officials said the child did not have underlying health conditions and died of 'what the child's doctor described as measles pulmonary failure.' A unvaccinated child with no underlying conditions died of measles in Texas in late February; Kennedy said the child was 6. How many measles cases are there in New Mexico? New Mexico added two cases in the last week for a total of 81. Seven people have been hospitalized since the outbreak started. Most of the state's cases are in Lea County. Sandoval County near Albuquerque has six cases, Eddy County has three, Doña Ana County has two. Chaves, Curry and San Juan counties have one each. An unvaccinated adult died of measles-related illness March 6. The person did not seek medical care. How many cases are there in Oklahoma? Oklahoma added one case last week for a total of 15 confirmed and three probable cases. The state health department is not releasing which counties have cases. How many cases are there in Colorado? Colorado has seen a total of 12 measles cases in 2025, which includes one outbreak of seven related cases. The outbreak is linked to a Turkish Airlines flight that landed at Denver International Airport in mid-May, and includes three cases each in Arapahoe and El Paso counties and one in Denver, plus a person who doesn't live in Colorado. Other counties that have seen measles this year include Archuleta and Pueblo. How many cases are there in Illinois? Illinois health officials confirmed a four-case outbreak on May 5 in the far southern part of the state, and it's grown to eight cases as of June 6, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. The state's other two cases so far this year were in Cook County, and are unrelated to the southern Illinois outbreak. How many cases are there in Kansas? Kansas has a total of 71 cases across 11 counties in the southwestern part of the state, with three hospitalizations. All but two of the cases are connected, and most are in Gray County. How many cases are there in Montana? Montana had 17 measles cases as of Thursday. Ten were in Gallatin County, which is where the first cases showed up — Montana's first in 35 years. Flathead and Yellowstone counties had two cases each, and Hill County had three case. There are outbreaks in neighboring North Dakota and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan. How many cases are there in North Dakota? North Dakota, which hadn't seen measles since 2011, was up to 34 cases as of Friday. Two of the people have been hospitalized, and all of the people with confirmed cases were not vaccinated. There were 16 cases in Williams County in western North Dakota on the Montana border. On the eastern side of the state on the Minnesota border, there were 10 cases in Grand Forks County and seven cases in Cass County. Burke County, in northwest North Dakota on the border of Saskatchewan, Canada, had one case. How many cases are there in Ohio? Ohio remained steady for a third week at 34 measles cases and one hospitalization, according to the Ohio Department of Health. That count includes only Ohio residents. The state has two outbreaks: Ashtabula County near Cleveland has 16 cases, and Knox County in east-central Ohio has 20 — 14 among Ohio residents and the rest among visitors. Allen, Cuyahoga, Holmes and Defiance counties have one case each. How many cases are there in Tennessee? Tennessee has had six measles cases since early May, but no change since. Tennessee's outbreak appears to be over, as health officials say there have not been any new cases in six weeks. Where else is measles showing up in the U.S.? Measles cases also have been reported in Alaska, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia and Washington. Earlier outbreaks in Indiana, Michigan and Pennsylvania were declared over by health officials after six weeks of no new cases. Cases and outbreaks in the U.S. are frequently traced to someone who caught the disease abroad. The CDC said in May that more than twice as many measles have come from outside of the U.S. compared to May of last year, and most of those are in unvaccinated Americans returning home. In 2019, the U.S. saw 1,274 cases and almost lost its status of having eliminated measles. What do you need to know about the MMR vaccine? The best way to avoid measles is to get the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old. Getting another MMR shot as an adult is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC says. People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don't need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective vaccine made from 'killed' virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said. People who have documentation that they had measles are immune, and those born before 1957 generally don't need the shots because so many children got measles back then that they have 'presumptive immunity." Measles has a harder time spreading through communities with high vaccination rates — above 95% — due to 'herd immunity.' But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots. What are the symptoms of measles? Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and a rash. The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. When the rash appears, the fever may spike over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the CDC. Most kids will recover from measles, but infection can lead to dangerous complications such as pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death. How can you treat measles? There's no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally try to alleviate symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Obama's Doctor Gives Telling Update on Biden's Health Amid His Aggressive Cancer Diagnosis
Ever since former President Joe Biden announced his cancer diagnosis, there have been questions about his health. This is pretty much on par for the course; the same has happened to public figures like King Charles and Kate Middleton, too, after their own diagnosis. It's just that a lot of the conversation regarding Joe Biden's health has to do with the question of whether he should have run for a second term in office. It matters not that, in the end, Kamala Harris took over or that she lost the election anyway. Now, Barack Obama's former physician is adding to the questions surrounding Biden. Jeffrey Kuhlman said in an interview that the former President's doctor should have given him a cognitive test during his final year as president due to his age. The last report by White House physician Kevin O'Connor in February 2024 didn't include any mention of neurocognitive testing. Biden was 81 at the time. More from StyleCaster Obama Just Got Roped into Diddy's Trial in Shocking Claim King Charles Responds to Joe Biden's 'Aggressive' Cancer After Their Eerily Similar Diagnoses Related: Here are the celebrities who support Donald Trump 'Sometimes those closest to the tree miss the forest,' Kuhlman said of O'Connor, who also expressed that such a test would have given voters a clearer picture of whether Biden was up for another 4 years in the Presidency. 'It shouldn't be just health, it should be fitness,' Kuhlman said. 'Fitness is: Do you have that robust mind, body, spirit that you can do this physically, mentally, emotionally demanding job?' But Kuhlman stopped short of saying there was a conspiracy, calling O'Connor 'a good doctor' who seemed to do his best to 'give trusted medical advice.' 'I didn't see that he's purposely hiding stuff, but I don't know that,' he added. 'Maybe the investigation will show it.' This criticism comes as Republicans subpoenaed O'Connor and President Donald Trump ordered White House attorneys to determine if Biden's inner circle tried to conceal his alleged cognitive decline. Biden's diagnosis is of metastatic prostate cancer, the kind of diagnosis that sheds no light on his mental health, but reports about Biden's alleged decline have run rampant even before he stepped aside to allow his Vice President, Kamala Harris, to run. These claims were in many ways strengthened by the book published by journalists Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson, titled Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again. The book is based on interviews with Democratic insiders. Biden's response to this whole thing was telling. During a Memorial Day event, the former President said. 'You can see that I'm mentally incompetent, and I can't walk, and I can beat the hell out of both of them,' he told reporters. Meanwhile, his granddaughter, Naomi Biden, called the book 'political fairy smut.' The Republicans will continue to investigate the matter, but the facts remain that Joe Biden isn't President anymore, and he didn't even stay in the race until the end in 2024. If there was, indeed, a cognitive decline on his part, it clearly hurt the Democrats more than the Republicans and, perhaps, the party in power should be thankful for that. Best of StyleCaster The 26 Best Romantic Comedies to Watch if You Want to Know What Love Feels Like These 'Bachelor' Secrets & Rules Prove What Happens Behind the Scenes Is So Much Juicier BTS's 7 Members Were Discovered in the Most Unconventional Ways
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Why Is Elon Musk Tweeting About Me at 3 A.M.?
If elected, I would be the poorest member of Congress—and the world's richest man just attacked me in a 3:00 am tweet for supporting universal healthcare. You might have seen a clip of me on CNN last week, debating with Scott Jennings on whether healthcare is a basic human right. In that clip, Jennings—a long-time Republican strategist and pro-Trump contributor at CNN—asks, 'Even illegals?' To which I respond, 'Every single person in the world deserves healthcare... How is this controversial?' It shouldn't be controversial. And I'm not afraid to say that as a person or as a congressional candidate. The state of our country's healthcare has been front and center for many Americans over the last few weeks, as President Trump's so-called 'Big Beautiful Bill' threatens healthcare coverage for 11 million people—including thousands of families right here in Illinois' Ninth Congressional District, where I am running. Why? So Republicans can slash taxes for the ultra-rich, decimate oversight for AI, and spend $125 billion on a 'Golden Dome' which will make America less safe – all for the low, low price of workers' health, food, and clean air. Our healthcare system is one of the worst in the developed world. Medical debt is the cause of 66% of bankruptcies in the US. In Canada, the runner up in this bleak competition, that number is 19%. We spend more on healthcare than any other wealthy country and yet have the worst outcomes. We take Ubers instead of ambulances, take fish antibiotics instead of prescriptions, and often skip medical treatment altogether because of the expected cost. These hardships are uniquely American. In 1944, Franklin Delano Roosevelt proposed a Second Bill of Rights to Congress, encouraging legislators to enshrine into law additional rights not already enumerated in the Constitution. His proposals were prescient, reflecting trials many Americans face today: the right to earn a decent living, the right to trade free of monopolies, the right to education. He also said that every American should be guaranteed 'the right to medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health.' Congress did not pass it. It's been more than 80 years since FDR proposed his Second Bill of Rights and healthcare is still not a legal right for any American. While the Affordable Care Act made progress on this front, treatment and prescription costs are still expensive, insurance bureaucracy is still predatory, and most Americans' coverage is still tied to their employment. I lost my own health insurance for over a year when I was laid off last May. Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' would continue the death by a thousand cuts approach to the ACA that Republicans have pushed every time they're in power. Donald Trump and the Republicans want to make this worse. By creating even more hoops for Americans to jump through just to get care that is often lackluster, by demonizing the poor, and by insisting healthcare is something you must earn, this administration is bragging about its own inhumanity. When I said, 'Every person in the world deserves healthcare,' Jennings couldn't fathom that idea. His first instinct was to blurt out, 'Even illegals?' The answer is yes. If you are a person, you deserve healthcare, no matter where you are or who you are. No one deserves to die because they can't afford insulin or because they're too scared of bankruptcy to seek medical attention. If you show up at my doorstep starving or injured, I am not going to ask for papers before I help you. Conservatives struggle with this idea. Elon Musk seems to think this idea and my comments are 'suicidal empathy.' Illinois Republicans were so incensed that my campaign office stocks food, clothes, and other resources for whoever needs them, that they thought I was somehow breaking the law. But in most other wealthy countries, this mindset is barbaric. In much of the rest of the world, if you need care, you get it. In fact, I have needed to see an emergency doctor in three foreign countries since I was a kid and all of those visits cost less than any urgent care clinic visit I've had in the United States. But when you say any of this, the Republican instinct is to ask, 'How will we pay for this?' The answer is pretty simple and we've known it for a long time. Universal, single-payer healthcare—a system where our tax dollars pay for our healthcare without the private insurance middleman—would actually save us money and lead to better health outcomes. We save lives, reduce waste, and guarantee a baseline of human dignity. Of course, predatory insurance companies would lose the ability to profit off of our basic existence, but that's a sacrifice we should all be willing to make. One of the main reasons I'm running for Congress is because our leaders have conditioned us into thinking we don't deserve good things, especially if we aren't rich. But we do. You do. Every American deserves to afford housing, groceries, and healthcare with money left over to save and spend. We deserve to thrive, not just survive. And every single human being in every single country deserves to know that they can find the help they need on the worst day of their lives, when they are at their weakest and most vulnerable. For most Americans this concept isn't hard to grasp, but when it comes to Elon Musk and right-wing pundits, they simply can't fathom having even an ounce of basic humanity.
