Democrats are taking advantage of a rift in the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) base over the Trump administration’s support of a contentious pesticide.
President Donald Trump’s executive order on glyphosate — a chemical used in Monsanto’s herbicide Roundup — and the directive’s subsequent defense by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., exposed a divide in the MAHA movement.
The executive order, along with the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) support of Bayer’s attempt to obtain legal immunity from the Supreme Court, has highlighted MAHA frustration with the administration, according to Politico.
I will always tell the American people the truth.
Pesticides and herbicides are toxic by design, engineered to kill living organisms. When we apply them across millions of acres and allow them into our food system, we put Americans at risk. Chemical manufacturers have paid tens…
— Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) February 23, 2026
Thousands of lawsuits have been filed over glyphosate against Monsanto and its parent company, Bayer, alleging the chemical is linked to cancer, the outlet reported.
Bayer has sought legal protections, arguing mounting litigation costs could force limits on sales unless shielded from liability, potentially disrupting the U.S. food supply.
Kennedy initially defended the administration’s executive order, claiming it will end dependence on “adversarial nations” and prevent sharp increases in food prices in a X post.
However, he later expressed disappointment with the executive order on Joe Rogan’s podcast, but reiterated that farmers are dependent on glyphosate. He added that he disagreed with how the Trump administration is supporting Bayer’s lawsuit and making it harder for people to sue over the health effects of glyphosate.
Democratic strategists claim their internal polling shows they have an opportunity to win disaffected MAHA voters heading into the midterm elections, according to the outlet.
Democrats like New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker have capitalized on the discontent among the MAHA base.
He told Politico that he is “in constant dialogue with a lot of the leaders in the MAHA movement.” (RELATED: Trump Admin Secures Key Agreement From Top Med Schools)
“There has been a natural alliance for me with the group of people that also found common cause, or at least hope, with the Trump administration, and that is more and more increasingly being betrayed,” he added.
U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. arrives prior to President Donald Trump delivering the State of the Union address during a joint session of Congress at the Capitol on February 24, 2026 (Photo by Kenny Holston-Pool/Getty Images)
Democratic Maine Rep. Chellie Pingree has introduced various bills and amendments in the House aimed at stricter regulations for agricultural chemicals, Politico reported.
She emphasized to Democrats the “importance of everybody getting to know the MAHA moms in their district,” according to the outlet.
Grassroots MAHA leaders who remain supportive of Kennedy and Trump admit that fellow activists are “pissed,” Politico claimed.
Claire Dooley — a MAHA activist who has worked with Kennedy through the organization he founded, Children’s Health Defense — said she prioritizes policy outcomes over party affiliation, Politico reported. She claimed MAHA voters are willing to support whichever candidates advances MAHA’s health agenda.
Dooley also said that she knows many MAHA activists previously identified as Democrats and could be open to their outreach when Trump isn’t on the ballot.
Politico pointed to a Feb. 25, 2026, poll conducted by Blue Rose Research, a data firm that supports Democrats.
It showed that half of swing voters and 39 percent of Trump voters said the government should stop protecting glyphosate because of its health consequences.
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