When one of the most powerful people in the world spreads dangerous medical falsehoods, do the billionaires who lent him their prestige keep quiet—or do they stand up?
On Sept. 22, 2025, in a plundering, fact-free sprint into full-on demagoguery, President Donald Trump pushed the debunked conspiracy theory that autism is linked to common vaccines. He also claimed, contrary to medical consensus, that autism is linked to acetaminophen (Tylenol) use in pregnancy.
And what have Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Sundar Pichai, Elon Musk—and Larry Ellison—said about it? Nothing. Not one on-the-record comment. Not even from the man whose name is emblazoned on San Francisco’s public hospital.
Most of them took front-row seats for the presidential inauguration on January 20, 2025; none has stood up for the truth. (Ellison skipped the ceremony—but not the Trump-brokered TikTok deal.)
In 2018, UN investigators said Facebook played a key role in amplifying anti-Rohingya hate in Myanmar; the company later admitted it was too slow to act.
Slow to act; fast to normalize. By staying silent after a disinformation blitz this big, each of these men—these so called leaders—lend credence to Trump's untruths. As ever, those already most at risk will pay the steepest price.
History teaches us: power is never neutral. Taking no public action against a demagogue props up the demagogue. In moments like this, the responsibility doesn’t end with fact-checkers and physicians. It extends to everyone in Trump's orbit. Those who bankrolled, benefited from, or celebrated his rise have a duty to check Trump when he runs amok. Public harm demands public repair.
Contact these captains of industry. Tell them to show some backbone and go on the record.
Here's how.
Photo by: Bloomberg, licensed from Getty Images