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 like *The X Files*, a science fiction television show.

**Academics cite Wallace’s 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.

The concept posits that airplane vapor trails, or contrails, are really “chemtrails” containing toxic substances that poison people and the terrain. Another version alleges planes or devices are being deployed by the federal government, private companies, or researchers to trigger big weather changes—such as hurricanes—or to alter the Earth’s climate, emitting hazardous chemicals in the process.

Several GOP lawmakers and leaders in the Trump administration remain convinced these concepts are legitimate, though scientists have sought to discredit such claims.

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### Government Interest and Investigation

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 obtained by KFF Health News, and a consultant who helped with the memo.

The plans, along with comments by top GOP lawmakers, illustrate 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.

> “When 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,” said Timothy Tangherlini, a folklorist and professor of information at the University of California-Berkeley. He added that the government’s investigation of conspiracy theories “gives the impression of having some authoritative element.”

HHS is expected to appoint a special government employee to investigate climate and weather control, according to Gray Delany, former head of the agency’s MAHA agenda, who said he drafted the memo. The agency has interviewed applicants to lead a “chemtrails” task force, said Jim Lee, a blogger focused on weather and climate who Delany said helped edit the memo, which Lee confirmed.

> “HHS does not comment on future or potential policy decisions and task forces,” agency spokesperson Emily Hilliard said in an email.

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### Claims Made in the Memo

The July 14 memo alleges that “aerosolized 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,” through a process called stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI).

> “There are serious concerns SAI spraying is leading to increased heavy metal content in the atmosphere,” the memo states.

The memo claims, without providing evidence, that these substances lead to elevated heavy-metal content in the atmosphere, soil, and waterways. It further alleges that aluminum is a toxic product used in SAI linked to dementia, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, asthma-like illnesses, and other chronic health problems.

The memo was addressed to White House health adviser Calley Means, who did not respond to a reporter’s request for comment.

Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California, criticized the memo:

> “High-level federal government officials are presenting false claims as facts without evidence and referring to events that not only haven’t occurred but, in many cases, are physically impossible. That is a pretty shocking memo. It doesn’t get more tinfoil hat. They really believe toxins are being sprayed.”

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### Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Role

Kennedy has previously promoted debunked chemtrail theories. In a recent appearance on *Dr. Phil Primetime*, he claimed chemicals are being sprayed into the stratosphere to alter the Earth’s climate.

> “It’s done, we think, by DARPA,” Kennedy said, referring to a Department of Defense agency that develops emerging technology for the military. “A lot of it now is coming out of the jet fuel. Those materials are put in jet fuel. I’m going to do everything in my power to stop it. We’re bringing on somebody who’s going to think only about that.”

DARPA officials did not respond to requests for comment.

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### Federal Messaging and Scientific Response

The idea that chemtrails are deployed to poison people is just one of many baseless conspiracy theories embraced by Trump administration health officials, led by Kennedy, a longtime anti-vaccine activist before entering politics. He continues to promote disproven links between vaccines and autism and makes claims connecting fluoride in drinking water to conditions like arthritis and cancer—despite the World Health Organization affirming fluoride is safe when used as recommended.

Delany, who was ousted from HHS in August, said Kennedy has expressed strong interest in chemtrails.

> “This is an issue that really matters to MAHA,” Delany said, referring to the informal movement skeptical of evidence-based medicine.

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### Additional Memo Allegations and Scientific Rebuttal

The memo also alleges increased “suspicious weather events,” such as flooding in Dubai in 2024, which it claims were caused by geoengineering activities. Geoengineering refers to intentional large-scale efforts to counteract global warming by modifying the climate.

Delany’s memo states:

> “It is unconscionable that anyone should be allowed to spray known neurotoxins and environmental toxins over our nation’s citizens, their land, food, and water supplies.”

However, scientists, meteorologists, and other federal agencies regard these assertions as largely incorrect.

Some points in the memo are accurate—for instance, concerns about commercial aircraft contributing to acid rain. But critics say the memo builds on kernels of truth before veering into unscientific fringe theories.

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### Weather Modification Science and Context

Efforts to control weather do exist, mostly at the state and local government level to combat droughts, but their effects are modest and highly localized. It is currently not possible to manipulate large-scale weather events, scientists say.

Regarding the severe flooding in the United Arab Emirates in 2024, Maarten Ambaum, a meteorologist at the University of Reading, stated:

> “No technology could create that kind of rainfall event.”

Similar false claims surfaced after devastating floods in central Texas earlier in 2024.

The Government Accountability Office concluded in a 2024 report that questions remain about the effectiveness of weather modification techniques.

While federal agencies have conducted research into climate modification and some private companies have performed field tests, no ongoing or large-scale projects have been confirmed. The Environmental Protection Agency affirms there are no large-scale government efforts to affect the Earth’s climate.

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### Widespread Misinformation and Political Impact

Misperceptions about weather, climate control, and airplane contrails extend beyond the Trump administration, scientists say. For example, a House committee hearing in September titled “Playing God With the Weather: A Disastrous Forecast” featured two hours of debate on these once-fringe ideas.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who chaired the hearing, has introduced legislation to ban weather and climate control efforts. The proposed bill includes penalties of up to $100,000 in fines and up to five years in prison for violators.

Some Democrats criticized the hearing’s focus.

> Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) accused Greene of using “the platform of Congress to proffer anti-science theories, to platform climate denialism.”

GOP lawmakers have introduced similar legislation in approximately two dozen states to ban weather modification or geoengineering. Florida passed a bill to establish an online portal for residents to report alleged violations. Governor Ron DeSantis stated:

> “The Free State of Florida means freedom from governments or private actors unilaterally applying chemicals or geoengineering to people or public spaces.”

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### Chemtrails in Popular Culture

The chemtrail conspiracy theory has permeated popular culture.

– The title track on singer Lana Del Rey’s seventh studio album is called *Chemtrails Over the Country Club*.
– Comedian Bill Maher addressed the myth on his podcast *Club Random*, saying, “This is nuts. It’s just nuts.”
– A psychological thriller titled *Chemtrails* completed filming in July.

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### Social Media’s Role and Other Fringe Theories

Social media has amplified chemtrails and other fringe public health conspiracy theories. These include baseless claims that Anthony Fauci created the AIDS epidemic and that COVID-19 vaccines cause virus shedding leading to infertility in the unvaccinated. Public health leaders and scientists debunk these assertions.

Scientists suggest that more frequent severe weather events due to global warming may be fueling some of these unfounded theories.

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### Risks and Consequences

Public health leaders warn that when such conspiracy theories take hold among the population or policymakers, they pose real risks.

Climate researchers, including Daniel Swain, have received death threats due to their work. Jim Lee, the weather blogger involved in drafting the HHS memo, said:

> “There are people wanting to shoot down planes because they think they are chemtrails. Some believers are afraid to go outside when plane vapor trails are visible.”

According to the EPA and scientific experts, there is no evidence that plane contrails cause health problems or relate to intentional efforts to control the climate.

David Keith, a professor of geophysical sciences at the University of Chicago, expressed concern:

> “The memo and focus at HHS on climate and weather control are alarming because they perpetuate conspiracies. It’s unmoored to reality. I 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.”

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*About KFF Health News:*
KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.
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