Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) sparked swift ridicule and outrage on Monday after posting a repeatedly debunked claim linking vaccines to autism, a theory long discredited by the scientific community.
“I fully believe vaccines cause Autism,” Greene wrote on X. “It’s another example of crimes against humanity. And innocent babies, children, and their families are the victims.”
Almost immediately, Greene’s post was met with a Community Note, X’s crowd-sourced fact-checking tool, which included extensive links to scientific studies and literature debunking any connection between vaccines and autism. Experts have overwhelmingly dismissed the claim for years, citing robust evidence that vaccines are both safe and essential to public health.
Greene, a controversial figure who rose to prominence through her support of QAnon conspiracy theories, received widespread backlash—including from her own political circles. “I mean, but you are dumb so,” X user Nathaniel Hunt replied bluntly.
Kimberly Ross, editor at the Washington Examiner, criticized Greene’s rhetoric for undermining public health efforts. “They don’t,” Ross responded, referring to vaccines causing autism. “Saying things like this harms children overall. MTG continues to behave like a lunatic.”
Former Republican pollster Frank Luntz took the opportunity to highlight Greene’s history of embracing baseless conspiracy theories. “Marjorie Taylor Greene has also believed: Sandy Hook was staged, the 2018 California wildfires were set by Rothschild associates from outer space; The 2024 eclipse was ‘God telling us to repent,’” Luntz wrote, sharing links to verify the claims.
CNN commentator Bakari Sellers offered a succinct rebuke: “This is embarrassing.” Meanwhile, other X users expressed deeper frustration with Greene’s continued amplification of misinformation. Jenn Leaver didn’t hold back, concluding, “These idiots are going to destroy us.”
Greene’s post comes at a time when vaccine misinformation remains a significant public health concern, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic reignited debates about vaccine safety. The claim that vaccines cause autism originated in a fraudulent 1998 study that has since been retracted, but the misinformation continues to persist among anti-vaccine circles.
While Greene’s remarks cater to a fringe segment of her base, they have sparked renewed criticism of her influence and calls for more responsible public discourse. As one of Congress’s most polarizing figures, her comments once again highlight the ongoing tension between evidence-based science and conspiracy-driven rhetoric in modern politics.