Trump, RFK Jr. cause confusion and fear for moms with Tylenol announcement 

Becoming a parent is scary and exciting — but it shouldn’t be stressful because of powerful people telling you things that simply aren’t facts.  

This week, former President Barack Obama accused President Trump of committing what he called “violence against the truth” — and honestly, that phrase stopped me in my tracks. Because when it comes to health, misinformation doesn’t just confuse people. It causes chaos, undermines trust and leaves parents paralyzed with fear. 

Here’s what happened: Donald Trump recently told pregnant women not to take Tylenol — a medicine millions rely on — claiming it’s linked to a “very increased” risk of autism. And then he doubled down, urging women to “tough it out” through pain or fever instead of taking the medication.  

Now, if you’ve ever been pregnant, or loved someone who is, you know those fevers and aches aren’t small things. And the idea that women should just “tough it out” is not only dismissive, it’s dangerous.  

Obama responded swiftly from a stage in London, calling out his successor saying, “We have the spectacle of my successor in the Oval Office, making broad claims around certain drugs and autism that have been continuously disproved.”  

And he didn’t stop there. Obama pointed out that spreading these claims doesn’t just confuse the public — it actively hurts families, noting: “All of that is violence against the truth.”  

He’s not alone. The World Health Organization jumped in, releasing a statement underscoring that there is no scientific consensus connecting Tylenol use in pregnancy to autism. They wrote: “Extensive research, including large-scale studies over the past decade, has found no consistent association.”  

Even Dr. Oz — yes, the former TV host who is now running the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services under Trump — contradicted the president. Speaking to TMZ, he was asked about a situation so many mothers face: “Do I take the Tylenol to eliminate the fever? Or do I risk the fever and therefore risk birth defects? … YOU SHOULD CALL YOUR DOCTOR.”  

And that right there is the point. Decisions about pregnancy, medicine and autism don’t belong at political rallies. They belong in doctor’s offices, guided by science, research and compassion — not fear and ideology.  

So let’s be clear: Fever can be dangerous in pregnancy. Tylenol, when used correctly, is still considered safe. And autism is not some political football to be tossed around for applause lines.  

Parents already carry enough anxiety. The last thing they need is fear planted from the highest office in the land. When leaders spread half-baked science, it doesn’t protect families — it puts them at risk. That’s not leadership, that’s recklessness. Or as Obama put it: “violence against the truth.”  

Lindsey Granger is a News Nation contributor and co-host of The Hill’s commentary show “Rising.” This column is an edited transcription of her on-air commentary.