Donald Trump has successfully solidified his reputation as a conspiracy theorist. With his assumed role as King of the Birthers, the real estate mogul has been at the forefront when it comes to questioning President Barack Obama’s U.S. citizenship.
So there’s no reason why Trump can’t delve into the bizarre and incoherent world of vaccine trutherism. In fact, he’s regurgitated this kind of idiocy before. But considering the enormous amount of backlash anti-vaxxers are getting – especially in the wake of record-breaking measles resurgences in New York and California – it’s surprising that he’d double-down on the long-ago debunked and false link between vaccines and autism.
This Thursday, Trump fired off the tweet below:
Autism WAY UP – I believe in vaccinations but not massive, all at once, shots. Too much for small child to handle. Govt. should stop NOW!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 27, 2014
But the the backlash from the Twitterverse was swift:
@realDonaldTrump What evidence do you have that vaccinations have any relation to autism? You are putting people at risk by suggesting this.
— Rori Donaghy (@roridonaghy86) March 27, 2014
.@realDonaldTrump congratulations on confirming you are one of the most irresponsible people alive.
— Adam Mordecai (@advodude) March 27, 2014
@realDonaldTrump this is why New York is currently experiencing a measles outbreak you fool. Just fucking go away already.
— Doug Larson (@larso1dl) March 27, 2014
@realDonaldTrump Sounds like somebody’s trying to score with Jenny McCarthy.
— Gerard Mulligan (@GerardMulligan1) March 27, 2014
@Brenny1097 Correlation does not equal causation. Science trumps (pardon the pun) your nonsensical reasoning!
— Jess (@jollybrancher) March 28, 2014
Trump followed up with another tweet on the issue, this time incorporating his ongoing scam where he keeps people guessing if he’s going to run for president:
If I were President I would push for proper vaccinations but would not allow one time massive shots that a small child cannot take – AUTISM.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 27, 2014
@realDonaldTrump There’s currently a measles outbreak in New York because of idiots like yourself. #JennyAsks
— DeadState (@DeadStateTweets) March 28, 2014
The backlash was so huge, it eventually prompted Trump to respond. He tried to walk back his comments as if he was more concerned about the “massive” doses that are allegedly given to children — conveniently leaving out the fact that he linked them to autism. But his audience wasn’t about to let him forget:
To all haters and losers: I am NOT anti-vaccine, but I am against shooting massive doses into tiny children. Spread shots out over time.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 29, 2014
@realDonaldTrump You linked vaccines to autism. That’s a level of stupidity that you can never take back.
— DeadState (@DeadStateTweets) March 29, 2014
@realDonaldTrump When you link vaccines with autism as you have done recently you wear the motley cap of the antivaxxers.
— Allison (@reiley) March 29, 2014
.@realDonaldTrump You’re a buffoon and embarrassment. If you love your country, please be quiet.
— Barracks O’Bama (@P0TUS) March 29, 2014
@realDonaldTrump by falsely linking autism with vaccines, you are indeed killing children. ignorance mixed with power=death.
— robogreen (@robogreen) March 29, 2014
@realDonaldTrump if you had a brain a tenth the size if your ego, you would know how dangerous such pontification was, even if qualified.
— Michael Merrifield (@ProfMike_M) March 29, 2014
Follow DeadState on Twitter at @deadstatetweets
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