Overview
- President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the USDA to prioritize domestic supplies of elemental phosphorus and glyphosate-based herbicides under the Defense Production Act, citing national and food‑supply security.
- A January podcast clip resurfaced in which HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said, “I believe glyphosate causes cancer,” contrasting with his new statement supporting the order on national‑security grounds.
- MAHA-aligned advocates, including Kelly Ryerson and Vani Hari, criticized the decision as a betrayal of the movement’s pesticide‑reduction goals, while Democrats highlighted Kennedy’s prior pledge to restrict glyphosate use.
- Representative Thomas Massie announced a “No Immunity for Glyphosate Act” to counter the order, claiming it shields manufacturers, as Senate Republican agriculture leaders praised the policy as protecting farmers’ tools.
- The executive action lands against years of scientific dispute over glyphosate’s cancer risk and fresh litigation developments, including a reported Bayer settlement exceeding $7 billion as the company continues to deny causation.