Kennedy Calls Out the Trump Administration for Its Pesticide Decisions
An unexpected political rift has emerged within the Trump administration, pitting pro-industry regulatory decisions against the health-focused coalition that helped bring Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. into the fold. At the center of the dispute is the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recent approval of new pesticides classified as PFAS—often called “forever chemicals”—a move that has sparked open revolt from the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement.
This diverse coalition, which includes holistic health advocates, medical freedom groups, and wellness influencers, sees the EPA’s actions under Administrator Lee Zeldin as a direct betrayal. The agency has recently approved insecticides and fungicides containing perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which critics argue pose long-term environmental and health risks despite industry assurances of safety.
Zen Honeycutt, founder of Moms Across America, captured the sentiment bluntly: “We’re calling him out because he is making a liar out of Trump,” referencing the president’s past promises to protect Americans from harmful chemicals. An online petition demanding Zeldin’s removal has already gathered over 7,000 signatures.
The conflict hinges on scientific definitions and health concerns. Zeldin has defended the approvals by arguing that the new chemicals contain only a single fluorine-carbon bond, falling outside the EPA’s narrow 2021 definition of PFAS. However, this definition diverges from standards used by international bodies like the OECD and many academic institutions.
David Andrews, a scientist with the Environmental Working Group, notes that while these compounds may not accumulate in the body like older PFAS chemicals, they break down into trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), a substance linked to reproductive toxicity and increasingly detected in water, crops, and people. “As someone who myself is on a fertility journey, this is something that’s really concerning,” said MAHA influencer Iliriana Balaj, highlighting the personal stakes for many advocates.
Despite the friction, Kennedy’s supporters remain broadly loyal to his agenda, praising his efforts to close regulatory loopholes on food ingredients and reduce synthetic additives. Yet the pesticide issue has exposed a clear tension between Trump’s deregulatory approach and the health-conscious values of a key part of his political base.
In a sign of possible de-escalation, petition organizer Kelly Ryerson met with Zeldin this week, calling it an “excellent first step.” Kennedy himself struck a conciliatory tone, expressing confidence in Zeldin’s “commitment to reduce toxic exposures to the American people.”
The outcome of this internal debate could signal more than a policy adjustment—it may determine which wing of the administration’s coalition holds greater influence over America’s environmental and public health direction moving forward.
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