More than two years after Donald Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. forged an alliance centered around the Make America Healthy Again, or MAHA, movement, supporters and public health experts are divided on whether the administration has delivered on its sweeping promises to reform the U.S. food system, tackle chronic disease, and purge toxic chemicals.
The coalition launched with a grand agenda aimed at reversing rising rates of chronic illness, overhauling dietary standards, and restricting harmful substances. However, a review of the administration’s track record reveals a mixed reality, with some policy shifts celebrated by proponents while key environmental and health actions have alienated core grassroots activists.
Dietary Guidelines and Agricultural Policy Shifts
One notable development for the movement arrived with the release of new federal dietary guidelines. These standards marked a clear departure from previous iterations, aligning more closely with the MAHA philosophy by encouraging individuals to avoid processed foods and consume more saturated fat, though the actual numerical limits on fats remained unchanged. The guidelines increased daily protein targets.
Despite these adjustments to nutrition advice, critics argue that the broader trajectory on food safety and environmental toxins falls short. Kelly Ryerson, a MAHA activist and founder of the nonprofit American Regeneration who focuses heavily on agricultural pesticides, expressed sharp criticism regarding federal regulatory actions.
I cannot think of a single good thing that the EPA has done during this administration. Instead, they’ve rolled back protections – drinking water from forever chemicals. They’ve approved pesticides that have no business being approved.
Ryerson pointed specifically to the Environmental Protection Agency, noting that the agency’s policy decisions have moved in the opposite direction of the movement’s core goals. Of particular concern to advocates is that certain chemicals flagged in the administration’s own internal reports as potentially harmful to children’s health are the same substances for which environmental protections have been weakened.
The Battle Over Glyphosate and Corporate Influence
A central flashpoint for the movement has been glyphosate, the primary active ingredient in the weed killer Roundup. Many supporters hoped the administration would take aggressive steps against the pesticide due to ongoing cancer concerns.
Instead, the Trump administration took actions that disappointed many base supporters: it backed the manufacturer of Roundup in a high-profile Supreme Court case that the company ultimately won, and Trump signed an executive order promoting the domestic production of the pesticide.
Tensions have also surfaced regarding the leadership and corporate representation within the movement itself. Following a major MAHA summit in Washington, D.C., that featured prominent figures from corporate America, grassroots advocates voiced frustration over corporate involvement.
I don’t even recognize this iteration of MAHA. It was so confusing to see all these corporate interests when, very specifically, the grassrooters want out of the MAHA movement – is to get corporations out of the way.
America. Kelly Ryerson
Public Health Assessments and Measurable Progress
When Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appeared on National Public Radio shortly after the 2024 election, he stated that the administration anticipated measurable progress in reducing chronic disease rates within a two-year timeframe.
However, independent experts see little indication that this goal has been realized. Barry Popkin, a professor of nutrition at the University of North Carolina Gillings School of Public Health, noted that while the platform successfully elevated important national conversations around ultra-processed foods and pesticides, other outcomes have proved detrimental.
They’ve raised a lot of important issues – pesticides, about ultra-processed foods. They’ve also done a number of things which are terribly dangerous. They’ve really unleashed a group of people in this country that will not get vaccinated. We’ve seen major measles outbreaks.
Popkin also highlighted large-scale foodborne illness outbreaks that have impacted thousands of Americans over the past one to two years, further complicating the public health ledger under the current administration.
As the movement looks toward future legislative battles and the upcoming midterm elections, activists suggest the MAHA brand may face significant reevaluation depending on how political alignments shift.
