Former President Donald Trump Calls for Smaller Vaccine Doses for Infants, Suggests Link to Autism

On May 10, 2026, former President Donald Trump appeared on “Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson.” He said he was concerned that infants receive “a vat…like a big glass of stuff pumped into their bodies,” and suggested “much smaller shots, like four visits to the doctor.” He added that this would “result in a much better result with the autism.” Trump said he “believe[s] in vaccines” and praised the polio vaccine as “amazing” for having “wiped it out.”

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Trump argued that the current pediatric schedule delivers large doses to very young children. He proposed spreading smaller injections across four doctor visits, claiming this would improve autism outcomes. He reaffirmed support for vaccines and highlighted the polio vaccine’s role in eradicating polio.

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The article notes that pediatric vaccines are given in multiple age-appropriate visits, not as a single large dose. It also states there is “no known link between childhood vaccines and autism,” directly contradicting Trump’s suggestion that smaller shots would affect autism rates.

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• The polio vaccine is credited with wiping out polio, and pediatric schedules use multiple visits with limited vaccine components per visit.

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Comments from a former president can influence public attitudes toward vaccine safety. Suggesting a link between dose size and autism may fuel hesitancy. Clarifying that vaccines are given in small, spaced doses and that no autism link exists helps counter misinformation.

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Trump’s claim that smaller shots would improve autism outcomes conflicts with the article’s fact-check, which finds no scientific evidence of a vaccine-autism link and notes current schedules already use limited doses across multiple visits.

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• “I look at these beautiful little babies and they get a vat, I mean, like a big glass of stuff pumped into their bodies. And I think it’s a very negative thing to do,” — Donald Trump, Former President

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• “I would love to see much smaller shots, like four visits to the doctor. And I think you would have a much better result with the autism.” — Donald Trump, Former President

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• “The polio vaccine’s amazing. It’s, you know, wiped it out,” — Donald Trump, Former President

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• “believe[s] in vaccines” — Donald Trump, Former President

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The interview aired on May 10, 2026, and the remarks have been reported in media coverage. No additional official response from health agencies or policy actions was noted in the source material.

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