This theory is gaining ground year after year, particularly among supporters of the "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) movement.
The birth of chemtrails
It all began in the 90s, when William Wallace, a farmer in Washington State, reported seeing a plane releasing contaminants over his wheat field.
He suspected that aircraft contrails contained chemicals intended to harm people.
The farmer, concerned about his health, publicizes his accusations. The story sparked a media and social frenzy, giving rise to a theory that has since gained many followers: that of "chemtrails", a contraction of the words chemicals and contrails.
The conspiracy theorists behind chemtrails
This theory is gaining ground year after year, particularly among supporters of the "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) movement.
This movement, close to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is known for its distrust of health institutions and scientific authorities.
This theory is also found in conservative political circles, fuelled by distrust of the current system.
This theory presents Washington
Under President Donald Trump, these theories are finding an unexpected echo even in the highest spheres of power.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. plans to launch an official investigation into "climate and weather control", accompanied by the creation of a federal task force to formulate recommendations for action.
An internal memo from the department, obtained by KFF Health News, reveals that several advisors have already been consulted to form this "task force".
Questionable revelations from within the White House
The department's internal memo, forwarded to the White House last July, mentions the release of heavy metals such as aluminum, barium, strontium and other acidic compounds into the atmosphere, under the pretext of combating global warming, as part of a project called "Stratospheric Aerosol Injection" (SAI).s into the atmosphere, under the pretext of combating global warming, as part of a project called "Stratospheric Aerosol Injection" (SAI).
The memo goes further, accusing these substances of causing neurological disorders, respiratory diseases and chronic pathologies. However, there is no scientific evidence to support these allegations, which have nevertheless been forwarded to the White House.
The revolt of the scientific world
Scientists strongly denounce these claims, calling them physically impossible and totally disconnected from reality.
Researchers such as Daniel Swain (UC Berkeley) call the document "mind-boggling" and point out that it "reflects conspiracy-type beliefs".
The role of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Already known for his anti-vaccine stance and criticism of fluoride, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has himself spoken about chemtrails in the media.
In May, on the Dr. Phil Primetime program, he claimed that these practices were being carried out "by DARPA" (a Pentagon agency), and that certain chemicals were being "added directly to aircraft fuel", without providing the slightest proof.
Conspiracy: a political and cultural strategy?
According to the researchers, distrust of institutions and the spread of misinformation online are conducive to the spread of these ideas.
The chemtrail theory has also found its way into popular culture, notably through a song by Lana Del Rey and several recent TV shows or films that evoke it, often in a mocking tone. As for social networks, they continue to amplify misinformation, contributing to its virality.
The mere fact that the government appears to be "studying" these hypotheses lends them an illusory legitimacy, reinforcing political polarization and fuelling public confusion.
The response from official bodies
Leading scientific and environmental agencies, such as the EPA(Environmental Protection Agency), NOAA(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) and several leading American universities, were keen to point out the facts in the face of the proliferation of "chemtrail" theories.
- Contrails are simply physical phenomena associated with water vapour.
- No large-scale geo-engineering operation exists.
- Tests of local climate modification (such as cloud seeding) remain experimental and very limited.
In short, there is no data or evidence to support the existence of "chemtrails" or secret climate manipulation operations.
Chemtrails" at the heart of legislation
Several figures in the Republican party, including Marjorie Taylor Greene and Ron DeSantis, are using these rumors to propose legislation to ban "climate manipulation", despite the absence of scientific proof.
In Florida, a portal has even been set up to enable citizens to report any "violations" linked to these alleged practices.
For specialists, these measures, while spectacular, run the risk of diverting attention from the real environmental issues, by mobilizing public resources around unfounded theories.
Politicized climate disinformation
Scientists are warning that these beliefs are spreading, diverting attention from the real issues of climate change.
Some researchers claim to have received death threats, while activists convinced they are being "poisoned" are even considering shooting down airplanes.
In their view, the most worrying aspect is not the theory itself, but its growing influence on public policy, regardless of political persuasion.