Watchdog Report Exposes Trump Administration’s Regulatory Betrayal

The analysis finds that for nine substances, including mercury, atrazine, and PFAS—the notorious 'forever chemicals'—the administration has actively loosened public health protections. In a move highlighting the influence of industry donors, President Trump issued an executive order mandating the production of glyphosate just one year after Bayer, the chemical's parent firm, contributed $1 million to his inaugural campaign. For 10 other substances, the administration has taken no action at all, leaving the May 2025 MAHA Report pledges largely unfulfilled.

Despite Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s role as Secretary of Health and Human Services, key regulatory positions have been filled by individuals with deep industry ties. David Fotouhi, the EPA’s second-highest official, previously defended International Paper against environmental contamination lawsuits. Public Citizen notes that eight of 10 leadership roles within the EPA’s chemical and air quality offices are now occupied by former lobbyists for the agriculture and oil industries. To consolidate this shift, the White House has effectively dismantled internal research capabilities, shuttering the Office of Research and Development and the primary air pollution research facility in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Peter Whoriskey, the report’s lead researcher, concluded that the administration’s actions have rendered the MAHA movement little more than a hollow slogan.