Michelle Obama peddles wild theory on what causes autism in children but backtracks instantly

WASHINGTON, DC: Michelle Obama reportedly made a claim about autism diagnosis in children but quickly backtracked during the Wednesday, May 28 episode of her podcast ‘IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson’.

She co-hosts the podcast with her older brother Craig Robinson.

The hosts were speaking with their guest, OB-GYN Dr Sharon Malone, when they appeared to criticize President Donald Trump and his cabinet members for their skepticism about vaccines.

Michelle Obama mocks old men ‘marrying 20-year-olds’

During the episode, while discussing women's healthcare in the US, Michelle Obama asked her friend if there’s a “connection between aging sperm and birth defects”.

Malone replied, “There is some anecdotal data that says older sperm, more autism. So we should tell some people, maybe it's the old sperm, maybe it's not the vaccine that's causing the autism, you know? Why don't you look at that?” as reported by Newsweek.

The former first lady then remarked, “They'll never let that secret out. That may be the key behind all the defunding everything. Then old men can keep marrying 20-year-olds. It's like, 'I'll give you the baby you want.’”

She soon attempted to retract her statement, telling her podcast crew, “We don't have to keep that in.”

Michelle Obama appears to take a dig at Robert F Kennedy Jr and Donald Trump 

Meanwhile, the Daily Mail reported that Michelle Obama appeared to slam US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr through her remark.

RFK Jr has time and again doubted the vaccines and even announced this week that “the COVID vaccine for healthy children and healthy pregnant women has been removed from the CDC's recommended immunization schedule,” as per CBS News.

“Last year, the Biden administration urged healthy children to get another COVID shot despite the lack of any clinical data to support the repeat booster strategy in children,” he added.

Besides, Obama's statement also seemingly attacked RFK Jr’s age. The 71-year-old conspiracy theorist has been married to actress Cheryl Hines, who is 12 years younger than him.

Her comment may also have targeted Trump, whose current wife, Melania Trump, is 23 years his junior.

The commander-in-chief is 78 while the first lady is 55, and they share a 19-year-old son, Barron Trump.

Critics have even suggested that Barron might be an autistic child. But his mother dismissed it in a 2024 memoir by stating, “There is nothing shameful about autism, but Barron is not autistic.”