RFK Jr.'s Wi-Fi/5G Conspiracies Influence MAHA Report Draft
The Trump administration’s preliminary health agenda, outlined in a draft report titled the “Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy,” appears poised to incorporate a review of electromagnetic radiation safety. This move notably echoes long-debunked conspiracy theories and false claims about Wi-Fi and 5G, frequently championed by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent anti-vaccine advocate and the administration’s health secretary.
The “Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission” report, a highly anticipated document intended to guide the administration’s health policy, was obtained by Politico in a draft version on Friday. While the report has not yet been formally adopted by the White House, it is widely perceived as favorable to industry interests, offering scant specific policy recommendations or proposed regulations. For instance, it contains no suggested restrictions on pesticides or ultra-processed foods (UPFs), despite these being stated priorities of the broader MAHA movement.
Beyond this, the document largely rehashes familiar talking points from Kennedy’s extensive health crusades. These include questioning the safety of childhood vaccines, advocating against water fluoridation, promoting increased physical activity for children to combat chronic diseases, pushing for the elimination of synthetic food dyes, and asserting that children are overly prescribed medications.
Strikingly, the draft strategy omits any mention of the leading causes of death among American children, such as firearms and motor vehicle accidents. Cancer, another significant killer, is addressed only in the context of promoting new AI technologies within the National Institutes of Health. Similarly, poisonings, a substantial threat to child health, are not explicitly discussed. While the report acknowledges the importance of water quality, its focus is exclusively on fluoride, overlooking other critical contaminants like lead or PFAS. Furthermore, despite prioritizing “whole, minimally processed foods,” the strategy offers no concrete plan to reduce the proportion of ultra-processed foods in Americans’ diets, merely proposing a “government-wide definition” for UPFs to guide future research and policies.
Amidst these predictable MAHA themes and industry concessions, one brief section stands out for its undeniable link to unsubstantiated claims. The draft includes a concise passage on electromagnetic radiation, stating that the health department, alongside other unnamed federal agencies, will conduct studies to identify “gaps in knowledge” regarding its safety and efficacy.
Though vague, this section immediately brings to mind Kennedy’s history of falsely asserting that electromagnetic radiation from sources like Wi-Fi and 5G causes a range of health problems. His unsupported claims span from cancer, autism, and various mental and cognitive impairments to post-traumatic stress, chronic fatigue, and Type 2 diabetes. In a 2023 podcast appearance, Kennedy claimed, without evidence, that “Wi-Fi radiation opens up your blood-brain barrier, so all these toxins that are in your body can now go into your brain.” During his Senate confirmation hearing in January, Kennedy reaffirmed these beliefs to Senator Andrew Kim (D-NJ), adding that 5G is equally harmful, “changes DNA,” and is even being used for “mass surveillance.”
Crucially, none of these assertions are supported by scientific evidence. Extensive research generally finds no health risks associated with 5G or Wi-Fi. The World Health Organization (WHO) explicitly states on its website that, “To date, and after much research performed, no adverse health effect has been causally linked with exposure to wireless technologies.” The WHO has similarly concluded that, “Despite extensive research, to date there is no evidence to conclude that exposure to low level electromagnetic fields is harmful to human health.” The inclusion of such a review in a draft health strategy, despite overwhelming scientific consensus to the contrary, raises significant questions about the evidence base guiding future public health policy.