Mind Your Language: The Harm of Trump’s Autism Rhetoric

Today, Donald Trump stood before the nation and declared that acetaminophen use in pregnancy “causes” autism. He went further, framing autism as a “risk” that pregnant women should fear. Hearing this as a parent of an autistic child, I felt a mix of anger, sadness, and determination.

I know what words do. Words shape thoughts, and thoughts shape actions. When any leader speaks about autism as though it is a danger, that message trickles down into schools, clinics, workplaces, and homes. Worst of all, it trickles into the hearts of autistic children like my daughter, children who deserve to grow up proud of who they are, not fearful that their existence is seen as a mistake.

Why “Cause” and “Risk” Are Dangerous Words

Words like cause and risk sound scientific, but in this context they’re not. They’re weapons. They imply autism is a disease, a problem to be avoided, a worst-case scenario for any parent.

When Trump says acetaminophen “causes” autism, he isn’t just distorting science, he’s telling parents everywhere that their choices might be to blame for their child’s identity. He’s telling autistic people that their very existence is an unfortunate accident. And when he frames autism as a “risk,” he sets it alongside illness, disaster, and tragedy, things we fight to prevent.

This is more than rhetoric. It is stigma, repackaged in the language of science.

 Autism Is Not a Risk—It’s Human Diversity

Here’s the truth: autism is not caused by Tylenol, vaccines, parenting, or any other scapegoat that gets tossed around when fear wins over evidence. Autism has always been a part of humanity. Autistic people are not new. They are not broken. They are not mistakes.

Autism is a neurotype, a naturally occurring difference in human brains. And our world is richer because of it. The inventions we rely on daily, the art we treasure, the scientific breakthroughs that shape our future, all exist because of minds that think differently.

When leaders call autism a risk, they erase this truth. They tell our children that they would be better off not existing. I will not let my daughter internalize that.

The Real Harm of Misinformation

This kind of rhetoric doesn’t stay in press conferences. It seeps into everyday life.

• In schools, autistic children are treated as problems to manage rather than students to support.

• In healthcare, bias leads to missed diagnoses, disbelief of symptoms, and dismissal of needs.

• In homes, parents may feel guilt or shame instead of acceptance and celebration.

And for autistic children themselves, hearing that their neurology is something the world fears can chip away at self-worth. That’s the harm. That’s why language matters.

Why We Must Speak Differently

Autistic people overwhelmingly prefer identity-first language: autistic person, not person with autism. You cannot separate a person from their brain. You cannot treat neurology like luggage, something carried, removable, or regrettable.

When institutions and leaders continue to use pathologizing language, they drown out autistic voices. They send a message that professionals, not autistic people themselves, get to define what autism means. That must change.

For My Daughter—and Every Autistic Child

I don’t want my daughter to grow up reading headlines that call her a risk. I don’t want her to believe her neurology is something to fear. I want her to know the truth: that being autistic is not less, it is not tragic, it is not caused by anyone’s actions. It is part of who she is. It is part of what makes her brilliant, unique, and wholly human.

President Trump’s words today were dangerous. They don’t have to define the story. We can choose better words, words that affirm, include, and celebrate neurodivergent people for who they are.

Autism is not a caused. Autism is not a risk. Autism is human. It has never been more important to advocate for the autistic community, and inclusion.