Trump issues glyphosate order; MAHA opposes Roundup chemical

President Donald Trump released a statement Wednesday. executive order He invoked the Defense Production Act to encourage domestic production of phosphorus and the herbicide glyphosate, which he said are critical for both defense and food security.

Glyphosate is often targeted as a harmful chemical by supporters of the Make America Healthy Again movement. Trump joined the MAHA movement after Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. withdrew from the 2024 election.

“I consider that ensuring robust domestic mining of elemental phosphorus and U.S.-based production of glyphosate-based herbicides is central to American economic and national security,” Trump said in his order. he said. “Without urgent Federal action, the United States will remain underequipped and defenseless.”

Glyphosate has long been used in U.S. agriculture and has been the subject of controversy due to allegations that it is linked to cancer. BayerThe company that produces the glyphosate-based weedkiller Roundup recently offered to pay $7.25 billion to settle lawsuits claiming the chemical causes cancer.

Phosphorus, also included in the order, is a precursor to glyphosate production and is also used in the manufacture of some military equipment.

The decision will require Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to issue orders and regulations to enforce increased supplies of phosphorus and glyphosate.

A White House fact sheet on the executive order said Trump signed it to “ensure domestic production of elemental phosphorus and glyphosate-based herbicides, the loss of which would disrupt critical supply chains.”

The lack of either chemical could “leave our defense industrial base and food supply vulnerable to hostile foreign actors,” since there is “only one domestic producer of elemental phosphorus and glyphosate-based herbicides,” the fact sheet said.

Kennedy once to win A nearly $290 million lawsuit against Roundup maker Monsanto, which was bought by Bayer over a man who claimed he got cancer from using the weed killer.

But he has softened his stance on the chemical since Trump’s nomination as HHS chief.

“We cannot take any steps that will bankrupt even a single farmer in this country,” he said at last year’s hearing. “There are a million farmers who rely on glyphosate.”

CNBC has reached out to HHS for comment.

Monsanto said in a statement to CNBC that the executive order “reinforces the critical need for U.S. farmers to have access to essential domestically produced crop protection tools like glyphosate.”

“We will comply with this order to produce glyphosate and elemental phosphorus,” the company said.