RFK Jr. ignites outrage after linking early circumcision to autism, prompting fierce backlash from Jewish leaders and Rep. Jerry Nadler.
A storm erupted in Washington on Thursday after U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made a shocking and scientifically unfounded claim that “early circumcisions” may contribute to autism, triggering accusations of antisemitism from Jewish leaders and lawmakers.
Speaking during a discussion about Tylenol use among pregnant women, Kennedy claimed, “Children who are circumcised early have double the rate of autism, and it’s highly likely because they’re given Tylenol.” Present at the meeting was U.S. President Donald Trump, who expressed agreement but offered no evidence — a remark that has since sparked fierce controversy.
While Kennedy did not explicitly mention Jews, his reference struck a nerve because circumcision is one of the most sacred and ancient Jewish religious commandments — a Biblical covenant between God and the Jewish people performed on the eighth day after birth. Linking this holy ritual to a medical disorder, critics said, effectively revives antisemitic tropes cloaked in pseudo-scientific rhetoric.
Rep. Jerry Nadler, a prominent Jewish Democrat from New York, immediately condemned the statement, calling it “deeply antisemitic and offensive.”
“This is an antisemitic remark. I call on all my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to clearly denounce it,” Nadler wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The backlash was swift, with Jewish organizations and medical experts slamming Kennedy for irresponsible speech and distortion of science. Leading epidemiologists emphasized that no credible research links circumcision or Tylenol to autism, and accused Kennedy of spreading dangerous misinformation that stigmatizes Jewish practice and misleads the public.
Kennedy later attempted to clarify his remarks, claiming the media “distorted” his comments and that he was referring to a non–peer-reviewed preprint study from Denmark suggesting a statistical correlation between Tylenol and autism. Experts dismissed the explanation as an unconvincing attempt to deflect blame, noting that invoking ritual circumcision in that context was both scientifically baseless and culturally insensitive.
The controversy reignites broader concerns about antisemitism disguised as health commentary, especially at a time when Jewish communities worldwide face surging hostility.
By implying that a foundational Jewish rite could be biologically harmful, critics say Kennedy crossed a line between medical speculation and cultural demonization — a pattern reminiscent of historical smear campaigns against Jewish identity.
