In a recent episode of her podcast, Katie Miller, a former deputy press secretary for President Donald Trump, ignited fresh controversy by discussing her family's approach to childhood vaccinations. Miller, married to White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, revealed that her youngest son is not vaccinated, a decision she linked to his robust health.
Personal Anecdotes vs. Scientific Consensus
During the conversation with guest Jenny McCarthy—a former model, actor, and prominent anti-vaccine activist—Miller drew a stark contrast between her children. She disclosed that her oldest child is fully vaccinated and had health challenges like a milk soy protein allergy. In contrast, she described her unvaccinated youngest son as her "healthiest child."
"He never, ever gets sick. He's never been on antibiotics," Miller claimed. "Every day I could put, like, dirt in his mouth and he will not get ill." She suggested that more young mothers are realizing that "healthy children can do a lot better not being vaccinated."
These personal assertions stand in direct opposition to decades of global medical research. The World Health Organization credits vaccines with saving 154 million lives over the past 50 years, including 101 million infants. Furthermore, large-scale studies have repeatedly debunked alleged links between childhood vaccines and conditions like allergies.
Debunked Claims and a Flawed Study
The podcast episode featured no challenge to these views. McCarthy, who has falsely linked the MMR vaccine to her son's autism, endorsed Miller's perspective. She referenced a 2020 study titled "Impact of Childhood Vaccination on Short and Long-Term Chronic Health Outcomes in Children," which anti-vaccine activists claim was intentionally "buried."
This study, examining over 18,000 children born at Henry Ford Hospital, was released after a 2025 U.S. Senate hearing. However, the medical community has widely discredited it. Dr. Adnan Munkarah, in a November interview with Michigan Public Radio, stated the data was incomplete and the analysis flawed, noting "a significant discrepancy between the groups in that study."
McCarthy also promoted chelation therapy for autism, a use not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The Mayo Clinic states there is currently no cure for autism spectrum disorder.
Broader Public Health Implications
The discussion occurs against a troubling public health backdrop. The anti-vaccine movement championed by figures like McCarthy has contributed to a major resurgence of measles in the United States, marking the worst outbreak in 30 years.
In a related development, the Trump administration announced plans to decrease the number of vaccines in the childhood immunization schedule. This was followed by a social media post from former President Trump sharing what medical experts have labeled "fictitious" and "purposefully misleading" information.
Katie Miller, who is expecting her fourth child with Stephen Miller, used her platform to amplify dangerous misinformation. While sharing personal family choices, her comments, broadcast to a wide audience, risk undermining public confidence in one of modern medicine's most effective tools, with potential consequences for community health and disease prevention.
