Overview
- A Reynolds American subsidiary gave $5 million to the Trump‑aligned super PAC MAGA Inc. on April 30, according to campaign filings reported by multiple outlets.
- Two days after that donation, tobacco executives met with President Trump at his Florida club and the president placed calls to top health officials pressing for looser vape rules, reporters said.
- On May 8 the FDA issued new guidance that could allow flavored e‑cigarettes and higher‑nicotine pouches while using a fast administrative route instead of the agency’s standard rule‑making process.
- FDA Commissioner Marty Makary resigned on May 12 and told associates he could not in good conscience approve flavored vapes, and the White House has denied any link between the donation and the policy change.
- Health advocates warn the shift could increase youth exposure to flavored products, critics call the sequence pay‑to‑play, and lawmakers and watchdogs are seeking oversight because the decision may reshape a $6 billion vaping market and enforcement of illicit imports.