Trump Announces Autism Initiative While Labeling Antifa as Terrorist Organization
President Donald Trump unveiled what he called "historic steps to confront the crisis of autism" during a White House announcement on Monday, September 22, 2025, while simultaneously preparing to sign an executive order designating the Antifa movement as a domestic terrorist organization, marking a day of significant policy declarations amid ongoing political tensions.
Speaking from the Roosevelt Room, flanked by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Chiquita, Trump announced that the Food and Drug Administration would begin notifying physicians about potential links between acetaminophen (Tylenol) and autism, while promoting leucovorin as a possible treatment.
Controversial Medical Claims Challenge Scientific Consensus
The autism announcement represents a dramatic departure from established medical consensus, with Trump claiming his administration had found "an autism answer" during a memorial rally for conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Arizona the previous evening. "I think you're going to find it to be amazing," Trump told supporters at the Arizona rally. "I think we found an autism answer".
The president's medical claims directly contradict decades of scientific research. Major medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, maintain that autism is a neurodevelopmental condition with genetic and environmental factors, not a condition requiring the type of treatment Trump described.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt previewed the announcement as addressing "historic progress" on Trump's pledge "to address America's rising rate of autism." However, medical experts have questioned the characterization of autism as a crisis requiring immediate intervention.
Antifa Designation Follows Charlie Kirk Assassination
The domestic terrorism designation comes in response to the September 10 assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. However, authorities have not established any connection between the shooter and Antifa organizations. Kirk, a 31-year-old Trump ally and Turning Point USA co-founder, was fatally shot during his "American Comeback Tour" event by 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, who has since been arrested.
"Antifa is going to be designated a domestic terrorist organization. The president intends to sign that executive order very soon, as soon as it's drafted, as soon as today -- later this afternoon," Leavitt announced during Monday's press briefing. However, federal law currently does not allow for U.S. organizations to be labeled "terrorist" groups.
The Anti-Defamation League describes Antifa as a "decentralized, leaderless movement made up of various groups, networks, and individuals," noting that while some individuals claiming affiliation may engage in violence during protests, such behavior is not representative of the movement as a whole.