Executive action invoking Defense Production Act ignites debate over national security, agriculture and public health.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday directing federal agencies to strengthen domestic production of elemental phosphorus and glyphosate-based herbicides, citing national security and food-supply concerns.
According to a White House fact sheet, the order invokes the Defense Production Act to safeguard supplies of key agricultural inputs. Trump wrote that ensuring an adequate supply of both materials is “crucial to the national security and defense” of the United States, “including food-supply security, which is essential to protecting the health and safety of Americans.”
Glyphosate has been registered as a pesticide in the United States since 1974, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. A June 2025 study published in Environmental Health found low doses of glyphosate caused multiple types of cancer in rats, as reported by George Mason University.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. previously criticized the herbicide in a June 2024 X post, writing that glyphosate “is one of the likely culprits in America’s chronic disease epidemic.” He added, “Shockingly, much of our exposure comes from its use as a desiccant on wheat, not as an herbicide. From there it goes straight into our bodies. My USDA will ban that practice.”
In a statement provided to the Daily Caller News Foundation, Kennedy said, “Donald Trump’s Executive Order puts America first where it matters most — our defense readiness and our food supply. 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.
White House spokesman Kush Desai told the outlet that “building modern weapons systems or growing enough food is impossible without elemental phosphorous.” He said the executive order addresses reliance on foreign imports and supply chains while HHS and the U.S. Department of Agriculture pursue research into sustainable agricultural practices.
In a follow-up statement, Desai emphasized that the action “is not an endorsement of any product or practice,” adding that it strengthens national security and reduces foreign dependency.
The order comes amid ongoing litigation involving glyphosate-based products. In 2018, Kennedy won a nearly $290 million case against Monsanto, as previously reported, related to claims that the company’s Roundup product caused cancer. A jury ordered Monsanto to pay $290 million in damages, according to NBC News, and CNBC reported on the executive order and related controversies Wednesday.
Bayer, which acquired Monsanto, has proposed a $7.25 billion settlement plan to resolve thousands of lawsuits alleging Roundup caused cancer, according to Fox 13. The Missouri Independent reported that Bayer has faced claims alleging glyphosate may cause non-Hodgkin lymphoma and that labeling did not adequately warn users of potential risks, according to the outlet.
The executive order drew criticism from some supporters of the administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” movement, which has previously been highlighted in coverage of the MAHA initiative and its policy agenda.
Environmental Working Group President Ken Cook said in a statement that the order undermines public health commitments. Vani Hari told The New York Times that “MAHA voters were promised health reform, not chemical entrenchment,” as reported. Lori Ann Burd of the Center for Biological Diversity described the order as “a sickening love letter from Trump to the largest pesticide companies in the world,” according to The New Lede.
Political observers also linked the issue to midterm dynamics. Coverage of Republican campaign strategy has appeared in recent Daily Caller reports and analysis of GOP messaging efforts, including this report. Polling suggesting the possibility of a Democratic “blue wave” was cited by The Independent.
Turning Point USA podcast host Alex Clark reacted in an X post, while activist Kelly Ryerson wrote in a separate social media post that the timing raised questions among MAHA supporters.
The House Committee on Agriculture praised the move in a statement on X, writing that “FOOD SECURITY IS NATIONAL SECURITY” and thanking the president for acknowledging the role of glyphosate-based herbicides in agriculture.
Internationally, no European Union member states have enacted full bans on glyphosate, though several have introduced partial restrictions, according to the European Food Information Council.
The executive order follows additional agricultural initiatives from the administration. In December 2025, Kennedy, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz announced a $700 million regenerative agriculture pilot program, according to the USDA. The EPA also announced in March 2025 that it would reconsider rules governing review of chemicals already in commerce, according to the agency.
The debate over glyphosate’s role in agriculture, public health and national security is expected to continue as federal agencies implement the executive order and lawmakers weigh its broader implications.
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