Kennedy Jr.'s statement that children with autism will "never pay taxes, never hold a job" has sparked sharp backlash online. Orlando Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost said the health secretary's remark was a "flat-out lie" and "further stigmatizes autism.

Kennedy has a history of falsely linking vaccines to autism. The Washington Post in January uncovered at least 36 instances of him making such claims. President Donald Trump has appeared to endorse his rhetoric, suggesting at a Cabinet meeting last week, “Maybe it’s a shot.”