President Donald Trump is facing criticism from a group of supporters known as “MAHA moms” after signing an executive order aimed at boosting U.S. production of glyphosate, a widely used pesticide that has long been controversial.
According to The New York Times, many women who supported Trump in the 2024 election because of his pledge to address “toxins in our environments and pesticides in our food” now feel betrayed by the move. Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Roundup and has been the subject of numerous lawsuits over alleged links to cancer, including one previously brought by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Trump’s executive order framed the issue as a matter of national interest. “Ensuring an adequate supply of elemental phosphorus and glyphosate-based herbicides is thus crucial to the national security and defense, including food-supply security,” the order read.
The decision has left some former supporters reconsidering their allegiance. “Women feel like they were lied to, that MAHA movement is a sham,” health and wellness podcaster Alex Clark, who works with the Trump-aligned organisation Turning Point USA, told the Times. “How am I supposed to rally these women to vote red in the midterms? How can we win their trust back? I am unsure if we can.”
While some critics have directed frustration squarely at Trump, others are questioning Kennedy’s role in the decision. On the Instagram page of food activist Vani Hari, who advises the White House on food policy, commenters expressed confusion and anger.
“This begs the question why didn’t sec Kennedy have a say and stop it,” one user wrote. Another asked, “Where is RFK Jr.?” Neither Kennedy’s office nor the administration has publicly clarified whether he was involved in discussions before the order was issued.
Zen Honeycutt, founder of Moms Across America, has long campaigned against glyphosate, urging retailers to stop selling it and advocating for pesticide residue testing. She described Trump’s action as “an egregious offense to what he promised,”
The backlash has not been limited to activists. Republican Representative Thomas Massie announced on X that he plans to introduce legislation to overturn the executive order.
The controversy highlights growing tensions between Trump’s “Make America Great Again” base and supporters aligned with Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” message, raising questions about how the divide could impact upcoming elections.