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By Jasmine Laws
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The group of women who call themselves "MAHA Moms," in support of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s "Make America Healthy Again" campaign, are now turning on President Donald Trump.
On Wednesday, the president signed an executive order to increase the supply of glyphosate-based herbicides, which he said play a "critical role" in America’s agricultural landscape, and that a lack of access to the chemicals would "critically jeopardize agricultural productivity" and the country's food system.
Now, the moms who switched from the Democrat Party over to follow Trump, because of Kennedy's MAHA campaign, are furious, which could have implications on the U.S. midterms later this year.
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Kelly Ryerson, a prominent MAHA activist known as GlyphosateGirl, said in a post on X: "Just as the large MAHA base begins to consider what to do at midterms, the President issues an EO to expand domestic glyphosate production. The very same carcinogenic pesticide that MAHA cares about most."
When approached for comment, the Department of Health and Human Services pointed Newsweek to Kennedy's statement: "Donald Trump’s Executive Order puts America first where it matters most—our defense readiness and our food supply.
"We must safeguard America’s national security first, because all of our priorities depend on it. When hostile actors control critical inputs, they weaken our security. By expanding domestic production, we close that gap and protect American families."
Why It Matters
MAHA Moms is the movement of women who have thrown their support behind Trump as they care deeply about the principles of Kennedy's MAHA campaign—particularly on food dyes and additives, as well as tackling chronic disease and toxins like pesticides and chemicals.
While it is not clear how much of Trump's votership they make it up, it is clear that their support for the president has been knocked by the move. As Trump has been struggling in some of the latest polls, this could be bad news for the president as the midterms draw closer.
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What To Know
The order, titled 'Promoting The National Defense By Ensuring An Adequate Supply Of Elemental Phosphorus And Glyphosate-Based Herbicides,' has been supported by Kennedy, as he said in an interview on Thursday with CNBC that the order "puts America first where it matters most—our defense readiness and our food supply."
This comes in stark contrast to the health secretary's previous views on the chemical, which has been classified as "probably carcinogenic to humans" by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
In 2018, he helped to secure a $289 million jury verdict against Monsanto, the original manufacturer of Roundup weedkiller, which contains glyphosate. Bayer acquired Roundup maker Monsanto in 2018. Per a New York Times report, Kennedy Jr claimed the company knew glyphosate caused cancer.
He also wrote on X in 2024 that “the herbicide Glyphosate is one of the likely culprits in America’s chronic disease epidemic. Much more widely used here than in Europe."
Following the move, MAHA Moms have expressed that they feel betrayed. "Women feel like they were lied to, that MAHA movement is a sham,” said Alex Clark, a health and wellness podcaster for the conservative group Turning Point USA, which is closely allied with the president, according to The New York 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," she added.
She had said in a post in December 2025 that one of the top three issues that "matter most to MAHA voters" is "pesticide usage and toxic chemicals on our crops and in environment." She suggested that this could be one of the main factors influencing how MAHA Moms may vote in the midterms.
Zen Honeycutt, the founder of Moms Across America, a group of women advocating for glyphosate-free, healthy foods, told Newsweek: "Trump's EO [executive order] to ensure glyphosate availability and production in the U.S. is deeply concerning, outrageous even, because glyphosate has been repeatedly proven to cause serious human health risks, and this administration's refusal to acknowledge that fact is the opposite of what was promised to us on the presidential campaign trail."
"Trump's glyphosate love letter EO sends the message to MAHA that he is more committed to prioritizing business than keeping his word to those who get him elected, to prioritize health," Honeycutt explained, adding that she was "extremely disappointed in this decision."
However, she said that "if there is anyone who has shown courage and been unpredictable in office, it is Trump."
"Therefore, I hold out hope that Trump could turn things around by directing support for regenerative organic farming," Honeycutt said. "He needs more courageous advisors around him who are not beholden to the chemical companies."
When asked if this move would influence her vote in the upcoming midterms, she said: "I will wait to see what the Republicans do regarding the Farm Bill and any pesticide immunity shields, as well as voting to restrict or ban pesticides that have already been banned in other countries, before I reflect on my vote."
She added: "I do know many mothers, however, who are done with Trump and the Republican Party because of this decision."
Ken Cook, co-founder of Environmental Working Group, said: "I can’t envision a bigger middle finger to every MAHA mom than this."
Vani Hari, a healthy eating activist and one-time Democrat, said in a post on X that she had been "on the phone with lawyers all night trying to understand the implications of this," and that she "couldn't sleep."
"Bayer just got a license to kill from our gov't. This the [sic] mass poisoning of Americans and it continues," she wrote.
What People Are Saying
Vani Hari, a healthy eating activist, wrote on X: "@Bayer threw a grenade at MAHA & is loving this. They want the movement to implode because it makes them more powerful. EVERY PRESIDENT since glyphosate was invented has increased the amount of glyphosate being sprayed on our farm land. The Chemical Lobby is controlling Washington, no matter who is in charge & this is why I hate politics. For all the people who are DMing me & saying "Ah ha - look they got you... " The last admin got us too. I will keep fighting for a safe food system. Nothing can make me stop. Let's use this moment to unify our powerful grassroots efforts against the corporations who are poisoning us."
Zen Honeycutt, the founder of Moms Across America, a group of women advocating for glyphosate-free, healthy foods, told Newsweek: "This administration has made it very clear that they are putting farmers (chemical farmers) first, by meeting with over 100 farmers and creating policy that supports them. And yet it is the mothers who created the grassroots tidal wave that got Trump elected and Kennedy in office. We would like to see Trump meet with mothers of children with autism and childhood chronic illness who are struggling in a living nightmare, mothers who have worked for years to get glyphosate banned in their parks and playgrounds, and mothers who voted for him because he said the words "pesticides in our food" in the same sentence as "autism and childhood chronic illness "on the Presidential platform."
She also said in a post on X on February 12: "Dear Mr. President, We voted for you because you said the words pesticides, autism, and childhood chronic disease in the same sentence as shaking RFK Jr.'s hand and telling him to go wild and #MAHA. We moms are asking you to ensure that Republicans respect your decree and to stop giving pesticide companies a pass on harms. The #FarmBilll language is likely to give pesticide companies, mostly from China, a free ride in poisoning our children. Please do not allow this."
Honeycutt has also previously said in an interview with LindellTV: "Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide in the world. We’re consuming it in almost every bite of food unless you’re eating organic. It’s a carcinogen. It’s an endocrine disruptor. It causes nervous system damage, kidney damage, and reproductive harm, even at very low levels. You cannot Make America Healthy Again unless we reduce exposure to toxic pesticides."
What Happens Next
In the wake of the move, the Republican U.S. Representative Thomas Massie has said he will be introducing legislation this week to counter the move, the 'No Immunity For Glyphosate Act.'
He said this would "undo the recent Executive Order which promotes glyphosate ... and insulates manufacturers from liability." Applauding the move, Hari said Massie's decision was "courageous" and thanked him.
Update 2/20/26, 7:57 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with response from HHS.
Update 2/20/26, 1:50 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from Honeycutt.
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