In his executive order, Trump wrote, "Ensuring an adequate supply of elemental phosphorus and glyphosate-based herbicides is thus crucial to the national security and defense, including food-supply security, which is essential to protecting the health and safety of Americans."
Glyphosate, a key ingredient in the commonly used and widely litigated weedkiller Roundup, is described as "a cornerstone of this Nation's agricultural productivity and rural economy" in Trump's order.
While glyphosate is permitted in U.S. agriculture, there has been growing concern over its potential effects on human health, including possible carcinogenicity. Just this week, Bayer, the owner of Roundup manufacturer Monsanto, agreed to a $7.25 billion settlement over claims it failed to warn people its product could cause cancer.
The Environmental Protection Agency has previously found there is "insufficient evidence to conclude that glyphosate plays a role in any human diseases," though a federal court ordered the agency to revisit this conclusion a few years ago.
MAHA supporters, skeptical of agricultural and pharmaceutical chemical companies, viewed Trump's executive order as a betrayal of their priorities. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., however, voiced his support for the move.
"Donald Trump's Executive Order puts America first where it matters most — our defense readiness and our food supply," Kennedy said in a statement following the announcement
"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," he added.
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) has already announced plans to introduce legislation that would undo Trump's glyphosate order, specifically the provisions protecting manufacturers from liability.
Read more from The Hill's Rachel Frazin.
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