Trump Order Sparks Debate Over Cancer-Linked Pesticide Glyphosate

HHS Secretary Kennedy supports order but acknowledges pesticides 'are toxic by design' and pose risks to health

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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A controversial executive order signed by President Donald Trump has reignited the debate over glyphosate, a widely used herbicide that has been linked to various health concerns, including cancer. The order aims to ensure an adequate supply of glyphosate-based herbicides for national defense, despite previous pushes by the Make America Healthy Again movement to limit pesticide use. While some experts warn of the potential health risks associated with glyphosate exposure, the administration has defended the order, citing the need for domestic crop protection tools.

Why it matters

The debate over glyphosate highlights the ongoing tension between concerns about the potential health and environmental impacts of pesticides and the perceived need for their use in agriculture. This issue has implications for public health, environmental protection, and the future of farming practices in the United States.

The details

The executive order signed by President Trump ensures an adequate supply of elemental phosphorus and glyphosate-based herbicides, such as Roundup, which has been the subject of significant controversy. While the Make America Healthy Again movement has previously pushed for a pesticide-free agenda, citing potential health risks, the administration has defended the order, stating the need for domestic crop protection tools. Experts have raised concerns about the link between glyphosate exposure and various health issues, including neurodegenerative diseases, metabolic disorders, liver disease, and certain types of cancer, such as non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

  • President Trump signed the executive order in 2026.

The players

President Donald Trump

The President of the United States who signed the executive order ensuring an adequate supply of glyphosate-based herbicides.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

The U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services who has been a vocal critic of Roundup and has worked to award compensation to individuals who alleged the weed killer caused their non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Monsanto

The company that owns the Roundup brand of glyphosate-based herbicides and has stated they will comply with the executive order.

Kelly Ryerson

The founder of Glyphosate Facts and owner of the Instagram account @glyphosategirl, who began researching the herbicide after her own health struggles.

Bill Billings

A resident of Red Oak, Iowa, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2014 and was told by his cancer specialist that his cancer was a result of being exposed to chemicals.

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What they’re saying

“With Parkinson's, this association appears to be due to the gut, vagus nerve and brain axis, where the exposure affects the microbiome in the gut, which then ascends slowly up to the brain, causing the neurodegenerative disease years later.”

— Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst (Fox News)

“There is also a growing association being found between high-dose glyphosate or occupational exposure and metabolic disorders, liver disease, and some cancers, specifically lymphoma.”

— Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst (Fox News)

“The cancer specialist said, very directly, (my) cancer is a result of being exposed to chemicals.”

— Bill Billings (Investigate Midwest)

“A lot of times, farmers are spraying Roundup on our grains right before harvest to facilitate an easier harvest. After that easier harvest, because everything's dry at the same time, those crops go directly to the mill and may end up in our food supply, at alarmingly high levels.”

— Kelly Ryerson, Founder of Glyphosate Facts and owner of @glyphosategirl (Fox News)

“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 of billions of dollars to settle cancer claims linked to their products, and many agricultural communities report elevated cancer rates and chronic disease.”

— Robert F. Kennedy Jr., U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (X)

What’s next

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The takeaway

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