Washington D.C. – Trump health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is hitting the campaign trail for Republicans on a “10-day swing across Iowa, Minnesota, and Florida” in a desperate effort to “mobiliz[e] MAHA” despite several high-profile betrayals of the movement by the Trump administration and RFK Jr’s deep unpopularity with independents. A White House official tells Politico: “‘Bobby Unleashed’ is our motto in the West Wing. We want him guns blazing.”
Protect Our Care president Brad Woodhouse welcomed the effort: “Bring it on. Only Donald Trump is more unpopular than RFK Jr. after they manufactured the health care affordability crisis and stoked the worst measles outbreak in 35 years. Secretary Kennedy has either failed miserably to accomplish anything for MAHA or turned his back on their agenda in favor of Trump’s big pesticide and tobacco mega donors. Over and over, Kennedy made excuses for Trump doing the bidding of corporate special interests that pollute our water, almost certainly cause cancer, and poison our kids, including makers of flavored vapes, glyphosate, and PFAS forever chemicals. RFK Jr is such a liability, loser and a lunatic that we’re willing to help pay the freight for his travel. Just tell us where to write the check.”
A Look Back At Some of the Many Ways Donald Trump and RFK Jr. Have Betrayed the MAHA Movement:
- Scrapped Limits on Cancer-Linked ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Drinking Water: In May, Trump Health Secretary RFK Jr personally announced a finger in the eye of the MAHA movement: a major rollback of Biden-era restrictions on ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water. These chemicals, perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), “have been linked to cancer, immune system problems and infertility.” The deregulation plan is a major gift to Donald Trump’s big chemical industry mega donors, including DuPont, which was part of a $2 billion PFAS settlement last year and gave $250,000 to Trump’s campaign after the 2024 election.
- Brought Back Cancer-Linked Glyphosate: In February, over MAHA objections, Secretary Kennedy unequivocally endorsed Donald Trump’s executive order invoking the Defense Production Act to bring back production of glyphosate, the key ingredient in Roundup herbicide that has been repeatedly linked to cancer.
On June 25th, in the case of Monsanto Company v. Durnell, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of industry and the Trump administration, effectively granting big chemical manufacturers immunity from liability claims involving the cancer-linked glyphosate chemical found in Roundup pesticides. Even as MAHA leaders voiced extreme opposition to letting industry off the hook, the Trump Justice Department filed an amicus brief in support of Monsanto – now owned by Bayer — and Trump’s Principal Deputy Solicitor General argued alongside the chemical maker in court. - Fast-Tracked Poisonous Flavored Vapes for Kids: In May, RFK Jr. dutifully followed Donald Trump’s order to push FDA Commissioner Marty Makary out the door for not moving ‘quickly enough’ to approve flavored vapes and nicotine products – a major no-no for MAHA leaders – after a $5 million big tobacco check to a Trump SuperPAC and fancy golf course luncheon between Trump and big tobacco/vape lobbyists.
- Atrazine Pesticide Rug Pull: A year ago, RFK Jr. made bold promises to MAHA moms to restrict the pesticide atrazine linked to cancer, birth defects and low sperm counts. A year later, the Trump U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released a ‘review’ concluding atrazine does not pose an extinction risk to any threatened or endangered animals or plants, which “effectively paves the way for continued use,” and continued profits for Trump’s chemical industry donors.
- Gutted Pollution Protections: While MAHA leaders have spoken out about air and water pollutants, a recent report from Climate Power and Protect Our Care details how Donald Trump has eliminated 31 pollution protections that, together, were set to deliver $275 billion in benefits per year and prevent 30,000 deaths annually.
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