Obama Slams Trump Over Tylenol-Autism Claims: “Violence Against the Truth”
Barack Obama has weighed in after Donald Trump made headlines with his controversial claim that Tylenol is responsible for the rise in autism diagnoses in the United States.
At Sunday’s memorial for political activist Charlie Kirk in Glendale, Arizona, Trump teased a major announcement. “I think we found an answer to autism,” he told the tens of thousands gathered at State Farm Stadium, promising the following day’s press conference would be “one of the most important” of his presidency.
Flanked by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump outlined what he described as a direct link between acetaminophen (Tylenol) use during pregnancy and autism in children. He claimed the FDA would immediately notify physicians that using acetaminophen while pregnant “can be associated with a very increased risk of autism.”
Trump also suggested vaccine guidance should follow “common sense” and “what I feel,” a statement that sparked widespread criticism. Scientifically, no evidence currently supports a connection between acetaminophen and autism, leading to significant backlash from the medical community.
Former President Barack Obama was quick to respond. Speaking at the O2 Arena in London, he condemned the administration’s stance as a threat to public health. “We have the spectacle of my successor in the Oval Office making broad claims around certain drugs and autism that have been continuously disproved,” Obama said. “It undermines public health… that can do harm to women.”
Obama went further, calling Trump’s Tylenol claim “a violence against the truth.” While Obama has generally maintained a low profile since leaving office, his public statements have increased in response to growing political tension in the U.S.
The controversy raises serious questions about public health policy and the influence of personal belief over scientific consensus. What do you make of Obama’s criticism—and Trump’s claim itself? Share your thoughts in the comments.