{"id":8944,"date":"2025-10-16T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-16T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/medical-article.com\/?p=8944"},"modified":"2025-10-16T09:00:00","modified_gmt":"2025-10-16T09:00:00","slug":"its-a-bird-its-a-plane-its-a-chemtrail-new-conspiracy-theory-takes-wing-at-kennedys-hhs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/medical-article.com\/?p=8944","title":{"rendered":"It\u2019s a Bird! It\u2019s a Plane! It\u2019s a Chemtrail? New Conspiracy Theory Takes Wing at Kennedy\u2019s HHS"},"content":{"rendered":"

While plowing a wheat field in rural Washington state in the 1990s, William Wallace<\/a> spotted a gray plane overhead that he believed was releasing chemicals to make him sick. The rancher began to suspect that all white vapor trails from aircraft might be dangerous.<\/p>\n

He shared his concern<\/a> with reporters, acknowledging it sounded a little like \u201cThe X Files,\u201d a science fiction television show.<\/p>\n

Academics cite Wallace\u2019s story as one of the catalysts behind a fringe concept that has spread among adherents to the Make America Healthy Again, or MAHA, movement and is gaining traction at the highest levels of the federal government. Its treatment as a serious issue underscores that under President Donald Trump, unscientific ideas have unusual power to take hold and shape public health policy.<\/p>\n

The concept posits that airplane vapor trails, or contrails, are really \u201cchemtrails\u201d<\/a> containing toxic substances that poison people and the terrain. Another version alleges planes or devices are being deployed by the federal government<\/a>, private companies, or researchers to trigger big weather changes, such as hurricanes, or to alter the Earth\u2019s climate, emitting hazardous chemicals in the process.<\/p>\n

Several GOP lawmakers and leaders in the Trump administration remain convinced the concepts are legitimate, though scientists have sought to discredit such claims.<\/p>\n

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is planning to investigate climate and weather control, and is expected to create a task force that will recommend possible federal action, according to a former agency official, an internal agency memo<\/a> obtained by KFF Health News, and a consultant who helped with the memo.<\/p>\n

The plans, along with comments by top GOP lawmakers, show how rumors and conspiracy theories can gain an air of legitimacy due to social media and a political climate infused with falsehoods, some political scientists and researchers say.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we have low access to information or low trust in our sources of information, a lot of times we turn to our peer groups, the groups we are members of and we define ourselves by,\u201d said Timothy Tangherlini<\/a>, a folklorist and professor of information at the University of California-Berkeley. He added that the government\u2019s investigation of conspiracy theories \u201cgives the impression of having some authoritative element.\u201d<\/p>\n

HHS is expected to appoint a special government employee to investigate climate and weather control, according to Gray Delany,<\/a> former head<\/a> of the agency\u2019s MAHA agenda, who said he drafted the memo. The agency has interviewed applicants to lead a \u201cchemtrails\u201d task force, said Jim Lee, a blogger focused on weather and climate who Delany said helped edit the memo, which Lee confirmed.<\/p>\n

\u201cHHS does not comment on future or potential policy decisions and task forces,\u201d agency spokesperson Emily Hilliard said in an email.<\/p>\n

The memo alleges that \u201caerosolized heavy metals such as Aluminum, Barium, and Strontium, as well as other materials such as sulfuric acid precursors, are sprayed into the atmosphere under the auspices of combatting global warming,\u201d through a process of stratospheric aerosol injection, or SAI.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are serious concerns SAI spraying is leading to increased heavy metal content in the atmosphere,\u201d the memo states.<\/p>\n

The memo claims, without providing evidence, that the substances cause elevated heavy-metal content in the atmosphere, soil, and waterways, and that aluminum is a toxic product used in SAI linked to dementia, attention-deficit\/hyperactivity disorder, asthma-like illnesses, and other chronic illnesses. The July 14 memo was addressed to White House health adviser Calley Means<\/a>, who didn\u2019t respond to a voicemail left by a reporter seeking comment.<\/p>\n

High-level federal government officials are presenting false claims as facts without evidence and referring to events that not only haven\u2019t occurred but, in many cases, are physically impossible, said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is a pretty shocking memo,\u201d he said. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t get more tinfoil hat. They really believe toxins are being sprayed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kennedy has previously promoted debunked chemtrail theories. In May, he was asked on \u201cDr. Phil Primetime\u201d about chemicals being sprayed into the stratosphere to change the Earth\u2019s climate.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s done, we think, by DARPA,\u201d Kennedy said,<\/a> referring to a Department of Defense agency that develops emerging technology for the military\u2019s use. \u201cAnd a lot of it now is coming out of the jet fuel. Those materials are put in jet fuel. I\u2019m going to do everything in my power to stop it. We\u2019re bringing on somebody who\u2019s going to think only about that.\u201d<\/p>\n

DARPA officials didn\u2019t return a message seeking comment.<\/p>\n

Federal Messaging<\/strong><\/p>\n

Deploying chemtrails to poison people is just one of many baseless conspiracy theories that have found traction among Trump administration health policy officials led by Kennedy, a longtime anti-vaccine activist before entering politics. He continues to promote a supposed link between vaccines and autism, as well as make statements connecting fluoride<\/a> in drinking water to arthritis, bone fractures, thyroid disease, and cancer. The World Health Organization says fluoride is safe<\/a> when used as recommended.<\/p>\n

Delany, who was ousted in August<\/a> from HHS, said Kennedy has expressed strong interest in chemtrails.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is an issue that really matters to MAHA,\u201d said Delany, referring to the informal movement associated with Kennedy that is composed of people who are skeptical of evidence-based medicine.<\/p>\n

The memo also alleges that \u201csuspicious weather events have been occurring and have increased awareness of the issue to the public, some of which have been acknowledged to have been caused by geoengineering activities, such as the flooding in Dubai in 2024.\u201d Geoengineering refers to<\/a> intentional large-scale efforts to change the climate to counteract global warming.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is unconscionable that anyone should be allowed to spray known neurotoxins and environmental toxins over our nation\u2019s citizens, their land, food and water supplies,\u201d Delany\u2019s memo states.<\/p>\n

Scientists, meteorologists, and other branches of the federal government say these assertions are largely incorrect. Some points in the memo are accurate, including concerns that commercial aircraft contribute to acid rain.<\/p>\n

But critics say the memo builds on kernels of truth before veering into unscientific fringe theories. Efforts to control the weather are being made, largely by states and local governments seeking to combat droughts, but the results are modest and highly localized. It isn\u2019t possible to manipulate large-scale weather events, scientists say.<\/p>\n

Severe flooding in the United Arab Emirates in 2024 couldn\u2019t have been caused by weather manipulation because no technology could create that kind of rainfall event, Maarten Ambaum<\/a>, a meteorologist at the University of Reading who studies Gulf region rainfall patterns, said in a statement on the floods. Similar debunked claims<\/a> emerged this year<\/a> after central Texas experienced devastating floods.<\/p>\n

The Government Accountability Office concluded in a 2024 report<\/a> that questions remain as to the effectiveness of weather modification.<\/p>\n

Research into changing the climate has been conducted, including work by one private company<\/a> that engaged in field tests. Still, federal agencies say no ongoing or large-scale projects are underway. Study of the concept remains in the research phase<\/a>. The Environmental Protection Agency says there are no large-scale<\/a> or government efforts to affect the Earth\u2019s climate.<\/p>\n

\u201cSolar geoengineering is not occurring via direct delivery by commercial aircraft and is not associated with aviation contrails<\/a>,\u201d the agency says on its website.<\/p>\n

Widespread Misinformation<\/strong><\/p>\n

Misperceptions about weather, climate control, and airplane contrails extend beyond the Trump administration, scientists said.<\/p>\n

In September, a congressional House committee hearing<\/a> titled \u201cPlaying God With the Weather \u2014 A Disastrous Forecast\u201d involved two hours of debate on the once-fringe idea. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who chaired the hearing, has introduced legislation to ban weather and climate control, with a fine of up to $100,000 and up to five years in prison.<\/p>\n

Some Democrats objected to the nature of the discussion. Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) accused Greene of using \u201cthe platform of Congress to proffer anti-science theories, to platform climate denialism.\u201d<\/p>\n

Frequently citing chemtrails, GOP lawmakers have introduced legislation<\/a> in about two dozen<\/a> states to ban weather modification or geoengineering. Florida passed a bill<\/a> to establish an online portal so residents can report alleged violations.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Free State of Florida means freedom from governments or private actors unilaterally applying chemicals or geoengineering to people or public spaces,\u201d GOP Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said in a press statement<\/a> this spring.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the chemtrail conspiracy has permeated popular culture. The title track on singer Lana Del Ray\u2019s seventh studio album is entitled \u201cChemtrails Over the Country Club<\/a>.\u201d Bill Maher dove into the chemtrail myth on his podcast \u201cClub Random,\u201d saying, \u201cThis is nuts. It\u2019s just nuts<\/a>.\u201d And \u201cChemtrails,\u201d a psychological thriller, wrapped filming<\/a> in July.<\/p>\n

Social media has given wing to the chemtrails concept and other fringe ideas involving public health. They include an outlandish belief that Anthony Fauci, who advised both Trump and President Joe Biden on the government response to the covid-19 pandemic, created the AIDS epidemic<\/a>. There is no evidence of such a link, public health leaders say.<\/p>\n

Researchers say another false belief by those on the far right holds that people who received covid vaccines could shed the virus<\/a>, causing infertility in the unvaccinated. There is no evidence of such a connection, scientists and researchers say.<\/p>\n

More severe weather events due to global warming may be driving some of the baseless theories, scientists say. And risks occur when such ideas take hold among the general population or policymakers, some public health leaders say. Climate researchers, including Swain, say they\u2019ve received death threats.<\/p>\n

Lee, the blogger, said he disagrees with some of the more far-fetched beliefs and is aware of the harm they can cause.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are people wanting to shoot down planes because they think they are chemtrails,\u201d said Lee, adding that some believers are afraid to venture outside when plane vapor trails are visible overhead.<\/p>\n

There is also no evidence that plane contrails cause health problems or are related to intentional efforts to control the climate, according to the EPA and other scientists.<\/p>\n

The memo and focus at HHS on climate and weather control are alarming because they perpetuate conspiracies, said David Keith, a professor of geophysical sciences at the University of Chicago.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s unmoored to reality,\u201d he said. \u201cI expected there were documents like this, but seeing it in print is nevertheless shocking. Our government is being driven by nonsensical dreck from dark corners of social media.\u201d<\/p>\n

KFF Health News<\/a> is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF\u2014an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF<\/a>.<\/p>\n

USE OUR CONTENT<\/h3>\n

This story can be republished for free (details<\/a>).<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

While plowing a wheat field in rural Washington state in the 1990s, William Wallace spotted a gray plane overhead that he believed was releasing chemicals to make him sick. The rancher began to suspect that all white vapor trails from aircraft might be dangerous. He shared his concern with reporters, acknowledging it sounded a little…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":8945,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8944","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/medical-article.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8944"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/medical-article.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/medical-article.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medical-article.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8944"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/medical-article.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8944\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medical-article.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8945"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/medical-article.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8944"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medical-article.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8944"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medical-article.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8944"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}