“Vaccines Don’t Cause Autism”: CNN Anchor Pushes Back Against Trump Ally’s False Claims

In a heated exchange on CNN, anchor Kaitlan Collins confronted Howard Lutnick, co-chair of the Trump-Vance Transition team, over his insistence on unfounded claims linking vaccines to autism. The discussion, originally set to focus on former President Donald Trump’s potential second term, quickly veered off track as Lutnick made controversial claims about vaccine safety, sparking a tense back-and-forth with Collins.

Lutnick, known for his role in recruiting allies for Trump, appeared eager to highlight his connection with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent anti-vaccine advocate. Kennedy recently dropped out of the presidential race and endorsed Trump, leading Collins to question whether he might secure a position in a future Trump administration.

Lutnick confirmed that he had spoken with Kennedy earlier in the week, during which Kennedy shared his longstanding belief in a vaccine-autism link. As Lutnick attempted to elaborate on his beliefs, he claimed that vaccines were responsible for a sharp increase in autism rates. “Rates of autism have increased from 1 in 10,000 to much higher because of vaccines,” Lutnick asserted, adding that the number of vaccines given to newborns had jumped dramatically.

“Now a baby is born with 76 vaccines because, in 1986, they waived product liability for vaccines,” he said. He also alleged that people at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) receive payments from vaccine companies, a claim Collins quickly tried to address. “Wait, wait — hold on,” Collins interjected as Lutnick’s assertions grew more emphatic. But he brushed her off, insisting he had the right to finish his point.

“And so all of these vaccines came out without product liability. What happened now? Autism was 1 in 34!” he continued, despite Collins’ attempts to cut in. Collins responded firmly, attempting to redirect the conversation toward scientific consensus. “Vaccines are safe,” she insisted, trying to dispel the misconceptions circulating around vaccines. However, Lutnick pushed back, questioning why she believed vaccines were safe, given his claim that “there’s no product liability anymore.”

Collins countered with a confident smile, “Kids get them all the time, and they’re fine.” Despite Collins’ repeated efforts to clarify, Lutnick continued to argue, maintaining that vaccines are not properly vetted and reiterating the controversial claims espoused by Kennedy. Collins, unfazed, explained that “Vaccines are scientifically proven to be safe. They go through rigorous amounts of testing.”

Collins grew increasingly direct, stating, “Vaccines don’t cause autism; that’s what RFK pushes, and that’s why people are concerned he could get a job like [Department of Health and Human Services].” Lutnick, however, dismissed the notion of Kennedy in such a role, claiming that Kennedy was merely interested in obtaining “data.”

Collins responded with an exasperated smile, “But the data’s out there.” Lutnick disagreed, asserting that the government conceals relevant information. Collins, standing her ground, reiterated, “They don’t block it! It’s out there!” Reflecting on the unexpected turn of the interview, Collins later said with a laugh, “This is not where I thought this conversation was going.”

The exchange highlighted Collins’ resolve in confronting misinformation about vaccine safety and reinforced the scientific community’s stance on the issue, despite persistent claims to the contrary from some Trump allies. As the interview wrapped, Collins left viewers with a reminder of the scientific rigor and data that support vaccine safety, underscoring the importance of combating misinformation on public health issues.