Trump Invokes Defense Act to Boost Glyphosate Production, Dividing MAHA Coalition

Kennedy defends order, but MAHA activists decry move as threat to midterm support

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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President Donald Trump has signed an executive order invoking the Defense Production Act to spur the domestic production of the weedkiller glyphosate and the chemical element phosphorus, which is a key input for glyphosate. The move has divided Trump's Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) coalition, with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. defending the order as a matter of national security, while prominent MAHA activists condemn it as a betrayal of their anti-glyphosate stance.

Why it matters

Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Bayer-Monsanto's Roundup, is the most widely used weedkiller in the U.S. and has been the target of numerous lawsuits alleging it causes cancer. The MAHA movement, which helped propel Trump to victory in 2024, has made opposition to glyphosate a key part of its platform. Trump's executive order to boost glyphosate production threatens to unravel that coalition ahead of the crucial 2026 midterm elections.

The details

Trump's order invokes the Defense Production Act to compel the domestic production of elemental phosphorus and glyphosate-based herbicides, which the White House argues is necessary to maintain food security. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. defended the move, saying it puts "America first where it matters most - our defense readiness and our food supply." However, prominent MAHA activists like "Glyphosate Girl" Kelly Ryerson condemned the order, saying it undermines the movement's core opposition to the chemical.

  • On February 19, 2026, President Trump signed the executive order invoking the Defense Production Act.
  • One day prior, on February 18, 2026, Bayer proposed paying $7.25 billion to settle lawsuits claiming Roundup causes cancer.

The players

Donald Trump

The President of the United States who signed the executive order to boost domestic glyphosate production.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

The Secretary of Health and Human Services who defended Trump's executive order, stating it puts "America first where it matters most - our defense readiness and our food supply."

Kelly Ryerson

A prominent Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) activist known as "Glyphosate Girl" who condemned Trump's executive order as undermining the movement's core opposition to glyphosate.

Ken Cook

The president of the Environmental Working Group, a watchdog that has pushed back against chemicals in food, who said elevating glyphosate to a national security priority is the "exact opposite of what MAHA voters were promised."

Marjorie Taylor Greene

A former Republican Congresswoman from Georgia who criticized Trump for signing "an EO protecting cancer causing Glyphosate in our foods."

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What they’re saying

“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.”

— Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services (CNBC)

“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.”

— Kelly Ryerson, MAHA Activist (X)

“Elevating glyphosate to a national security priority is the exact opposite of what MAHA voters were promised. If Secretary Kennedy remains at HHS after this, it will be impossible to argue that his past warnings about glyphosate were anything more than campaign rhetoric designed to win trust — and votes.”

— Ken Cook, President, Environmental Working Group (CNBC)

“Thank you, President Trump, for acknowledging the importance of glyphosate-based herbicides in American agriculture. This is a vital step forward in ensuring a domestic supply of this critical crop input remains available for our producers.”

— House Agriculture Committee (X)

What’s next

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The takeaway

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