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Make America Healthy Again

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"Make America Healthy Again" logo used by the White House.

Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) is an American populist slogan and political movement led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is serving as Secretary of Health and Human Services in the second Trump administration. The slogan, echoing the "Make America Great Again" phrase popularized by Donald Trump and his ideology, reflects a focus on public health issues. MAHA gained broader attention following the suspension of Kennedy's independent presidential campaign in August 2024 and his subsequent endorsement of Republican nominee Donald Trump.[1]

According to its proponents, MAHA's primary beliefs are that there is a chronic illness epidemic in the United States, advocating for what they believe are healthier lifestyle choices (including drinking raw milk, taking dietary supplements and adopting various fad diets), suggesting that autism is caused by environmental effects (especially vaccines) and therefore need to be cured through detoxification, and contending that corruption in the food and pharmaceutical industries is a major source of health problems.[2][3][4][5]

Scientists, medical professionals, and public health officials have largely criticized the movement, citing concerns about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s previous remarks about vaccines and public health. Reports released by MAHA have included multiple fake citations, mischaracterizations of existing sources, and medical misinformation.

MAHA Commission

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An executive order signed February 13, 2025 established the MAHA Commission. The commission is chaired by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and includes other Trump officials, including secretary of education Linda McMahon and director of the Office of Management and Budget Russell Vought.[6] Vince Haley, director of the United States Domestic Policy Council, is executive director.[7][8] The order directed the commission to examine the "prevalence of and threat posed by the prescription of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, stimulants, and weight-loss drugs" within one hundred days.[9] The commission was also tasked with researching childhood diseases and mental disorders, including autism.[10]

The commission released the MAHA report on May 22.[11] It addresses what the commission sees as the four main causes of health problems in children: poor diet, environmental chemicals, lack of physical activity and stress, and overmedicalization.[12][13] According to The New York Times, Nancy Beck, the principal deputy assistant administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency overseeing the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, pushed to restrain mentions of pesticides in the commission's report.[14] The Wall Street Journal reported that Kennedy's criticisms of pesticides drew ire from some Trump officials.[15] Analysis of the report reveled that it included multiple citation errors and references to non-existent studies, authors, and mischaracterizations of the conclusions of real sources that suggested the use of artificial intelligence.[16][17]

Kennedy, the committee's chairman, stated in his address that he would use the commission to criticize childhood vaccine schedules and psychiatric medicines.[18] He privately convened the committee's inaugural meeting in March.[19]

Draft reports of MAHA's second report "Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy" did not mention the leading causes of childhood death, those being firearms and motor vehicle accidents, and was described by Ars Technica as "echoing long-held conspiracy theories and misinformation about Wi-Fi and 5G". It also continued to cast doubt on water fluoridation and the safety of childhood vaccines.[20]

Policy

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Water fluoridation

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Water fluoridation, the controlled addition of fluoride to public water supplies to reduce tooth decay, is one of the concerns of the MAHA movement.[21] The public health practice reduces cavities in children and has been praised by dentists and public health experts.[22][23][24] The World Health Organization, FDI World Dental Federation, American Dental Association, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that water fluoridation is safe and effective.[25][26][27] A majority of dental experts and medical institutions, including the American Dental Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention disagree with Kennedy's views on water fluoridation, which is regarded as one of the greatest public health achievements of the 20th century.[28][29][27]

Vaccines

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In May 2025, under Kennedy's leadership, the CDC stopped recommending the COVID-19 vaccine for children and pregnant women.[30][31] The same month, the HHS suddenly demanded a halt to a clinical trial of a COVID-19 vaccine pill.[32] In June, Kennedy fired all 17 members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and appointed several prominent anti-vaccine activists.[33]

Food

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Further information: Seed oil misinformation

The MAHA movement places strong emphasis on food, specifically regarding the impact of ultra-processed foods on children's health and chronic disease prevention.[34] Following the FDA’s ban on Red 3 in January 2025,[35] Kennedy announced that the FDA would be focusing on removing petroleum-based artificial food dyes from the American food supply by 2026.[36] MAHA frequently criticizes glyphosate,[37] and atrazine.[38]

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

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In 2025, both Kennedy and Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins support preventing SNAP recipients from using benefits for "processed foods and candy".[39] Since that announcement, four states, West Virginia, Idaho, Arkansas and Indiana submitted waivers to overhaul SNAP benefits in their states to restrict usage of benefits for "candy and soda".[40]

Reception

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A survey conducted in January 2025 by the Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research showed that 30 percent of Americans supported Kennedy's health agenda compared to 42 percent who disapproved, with support among conservatives significantly higher.[41][42]

Make America Healthy Again has been criticized by the mainstream medical community and news outlets, who have said that MAHA mixes promotion of healthy living with public health conspiracy theories, citing the movement's close ties to the anti-vaccine community.[43][44][45] Critics have characterized the movement as a cult, with The New Yorker describing Kennedy as being viewed as a faith healer who "should not be criticized; a vast conspiracy threatens the movement; triumph is ongoing, even if the movement's crusade against dangerous pesticides and heavy metals in the soil and drinking water has culminated in the election of a President who apparently loves all that stuff".[37] The New York Times described it as attracting a loose coalition of health-conscious moms, men's rights activists, and some environmental groups. It described traditional environmentalists as being "wary" of MAHA's controversial positions on vaccines and other issues.[38]

Proposals of the movement, such as the increased regulation of food and pharmaceutical companies, received early bipartisan support in late 2024 and early 2025, and were praised by Democratic Colorado governor Jared Polis and Independent Vermont senator Bernie Sanders, despite both Polis and Sanders objecting to Kennedy's views on vaccines.[46][47][48] Sanders called Kennedy's stance on the food industry "exactly correct" but described his broader health views as "extremely dangerous".[48] The bipartisan support collapsed in May 2025 when the Democratic National Committee (DNC) criticized MAHA for fabricating sources in their report.[49] The DNC referred to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as a conspiracy theorist, arguing that with his help, "Donald Trump is putting millions of Americans' health care and safety at risk."[50]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Tin, Alexander (November 12, 2024). "What is "Make America Healthy Again"? What to know about Trump and RFK Jr.'s wide-ranging platform". CBS News. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  2. ^ Payne, Daniel; Schumaker, Erin; Paun, Carmen; Reader, Ruth (2024-11-06). "It's a MAHA world now". POLITICO. Retrieved 2025-01-29.
  3. ^ Zhang, Rachel Cohrs (2025-01-20). "Trump finally finds a populist health care message in Kennedy's MAHA". STAT. Retrieved 2025-01-29.
  4. ^ Falzone, Dianne (2025-04-14). "What does RFK Jr.'s 'Make America Healthy Again' movement aim to do?". NewsNation. Archived from the original on 2025-05-26. Retrieved 2025-06-20.
  5. ^ Kalaitzandonakes, Maria; Ellison, Brenna; Coppess, and Jonathan (2025-06-04). "Food System Beliefs of Make America Healthy Again Supporters". Farmdoc Daily. 15 (102).
  6. ^ Stolberg, Sheryl Gay (March 11, 2025). "Kennedy Will Convene a New Health Commission in Private". The New York Times. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  7. ^ BGR Group (March 4, 2025). "The Maha Movement and the Trump Agenda" (PDF).
  8. ^ "President Trump Establishes Make America Healthy Again Commission". February 21, 2025. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
  9. ^ Nirappil, Fenit; Cha, Ariana; Gilbert, Caitlin (February 17, 2025). "Trump casts psychiatric and weight-loss drugs as threats to children". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  10. ^ Diamond, Dan (April 4, 2025). "NIH prepares to launch new research into autism causes, a Trump priority". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  11. ^ Stolberg, Sheryl Gay; Blum, Dani (May 22, 2025). "Kennedy and Trump Paint Bleak Picture of Chronic Disease in U.S. Children". The New York Times. Retrieved May 29, 2025.
  12. ^ "The MAHA Report Assessment" (PDF). The White House. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
  13. ^ "Administrative action". BGR Group. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
  14. ^ Tabuchi, Hiroko (May 20, 2025). "Kenned's Allies Against Pesticides: Environmentalists, Moms and Manly Men". The New York Times. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  15. ^ Peterson, Kristina; Dawsey, Josh; Whyte, Liz (May 14, 2025). "Trump Officials Balk at RFK Jr.'s Attack on Pesticides". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  16. ^ Blum, Dani; Astor, Maggie (May 29, 2025). "White House Health Report Included Fake Citations". The New York Times. Retrieved May 29, 2025.
  17. ^ Limauro, Andrea (2025-05-29). "White House MAHA report may have garbled science by using AI, experts say". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2025-05-31.
  18. ^ Stolberg, Sheryl Gay; Jewett, Christina (February 18, 2025). "Kennedy Says 'Nothing' Off Limits in Scrutinizing Chronic Disease". The New York Times. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  19. ^ Stolberg, Sheryl Gay (March 11, 2025). "Kennedy Will Convene a New Health Commission in Private". The New York Times. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  20. ^ Mole, Beth (August 18, 2025). "RFK Jr.'s Wi-Fi and 5G conspiracies appear to make it into MAHA report draft". Ars Technica. Retrieved August 26, 2025.
  21. ^ Rogers, Kristen (2025-05-31). "MAHA doc 'Toxic Nation' says 4 things are sickening us". CNN. Retrieved 2025-06-11.
  22. ^ Iheozor-Ejiofor, Zipporah; Walsh, Tanya; Lewis, Sharon R.; Riley, Philip; Boyers, Dwayne; Clarkson, Janet E.; Worthington, Helen V.; Glenny, Anne-Marie; O'Malley, Lucy (2024-10-04). "Water fluoridation for the prevention of dental caries". The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 10 (10): CD010856. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD010856.pub3. ISSN 1469-493X. PMC 11449566. PMID 39362658.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: article number as page number (link)
  23. ^ "5. What role does fluoride play in preventing tooth decay?". European Union: Public Health. Retrieved 2025-02-01.
  24. ^ Parnell, C.; Whelton, H.; O'Mullane, D. (2009-09-01). "Water Fluoridation". European Archives of Paediatric Dentistry. 10 (3): 141–148. doi:10.1007/BF03262675. ISSN 1996-9805. PMID 19772843.
  25. ^ "Support for Water Fluoridation" (PDF). British Fluoridation Society. 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  26. ^ CDC (April 1999). "Ten great public health achievements – United States, 1900–1999". MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 48 (12): 241–243. PMID 10220250.
  27. ^ a b CDC (2024-09-12). "CDC Scientific Statement on Community Water Fluoridation". Community Water Fluoridation. Retrieved 2025-03-03.
  28. ^ Spencer, Ben (2024-12-01). "The truth about fluoride in water, explained by our science editor". www.thetimes.com. Retrieved 2025-03-03.
  29. ^ "What to know about fluoride in water following RFK Jr.'s health claims, controversial studies - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. 2025-01-06. Retrieved 2025-03-03.
  30. ^ "CDC removes language that says healthy kids and pregnant women should get COVID shots". PBS News. 2025-05-30. Retrieved 2025-06-02.
  31. ^ "CDC removes language that says healthy kids and pregnant women should get COVID shots". AP News. 2025-05-30. Retrieved 2025-06-02.
  32. ^ Waldron, James (21 Mar 2025). "Vaxart lays off 10% of staff after HHS unexpectedly demands halt to COVID vaccine trial". Fierce Biotech. Questex LLC. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
  33. ^ Scott, Dylan (June 16, 2025). "Can you still trust the US government's vaccine recommendations?". Vox. Retrieved August 26, 2025. The deepening divide between Kennedy's Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement and mainstream medicine could make it harder for people who want vaccines to get them, while encouraging more doubt about the value and safety of shots among the general public.
  34. ^ Dawson, Paul (2025-05-27). "MAHA report on children's health highlights harms of ultraprocessed foods – a food scientist explains the research". Clemson News. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  35. ^ Aleccia, Jonel (2025-02-15). "Red dye No. 3 has been banned, but what about other artificial food dyes?". AP News. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  36. ^ Reed, Tina (2025-05-09). "FDA approves 3 color additives as part of RFK Jr. dye ban effort". Axios. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  37. ^ a b Winter, Jessica (August 21, 2025). "Will the MAHA Moms Turn on Trump?". The New Yorker. Retrieved August 26, 2025.
  38. ^ a b Tabuchi, Hiroko (May 20, 2025). "Kennedy's Allies Against Pesticides: Environmentalists, Moms and Manly Men". The New York Times. Retrieved August 26, 2025.
  39. ^ Aleccia, Jonel (2025-02-19). "RFK Jr. suggests banning candy and soda from the $113 billion SNAP program: 'We shouldn't be subsidizing people to eat poison'". Fortune. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  40. ^ McDuffie, Will; Haslett, Cheyenne (2025-04-16). "4 states aim to prevent food stamps recipients from using program to buy candy, soda". ABC News. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  41. ^ Sanders, Linley (2025-01-29). "What US adults think of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his views on vaccines, fluoride and raw milk". AP News. Retrieved 2025-02-01.
  42. ^ Stanton, Andrew (2025-01-29). "How Americans feel about RFK Jr., vaccines amid confirmation hearing". Newsweek. Retrieved 2025-02-01.
  43. ^ "What Is MAHA? How wellness culture with legitimate concerns (and some conspiratorial beliefs) became a movement poised to take Washington". Intelligencer. 2024-12-16. Retrieved 2025-02-21.
  44. ^ Ollstein, Alice Miranda; Cancryn, Adam (2024-11-22). "Kennedy's 'MAHA transition team' includes anti-vax activists". POLITICO. Retrieved 2025-01-31.
  45. ^ Stone, Will (2025-01-28). "Doctors opposing RFK Jr. rally in the lead-up to his confirmation". NPR. Retrieved 2025-01-31.
  46. ^ Gurney, Jeff; Boyd, Shaun (2024-11-14). "Why Democratic Colorado Gov. Jared Polis says he's "excited" about Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for HHS secretary - CBS Colorado". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2025-01-31.
  47. ^ Leingang, Rachel (2024-11-19). "Jared Polis, who praised Trump's pick of RFK Jr, on why he's willing to work with incoming president". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-01-31.
  48. ^ a b Ray, Siladitya. "Bernie Sanders Says RFK Jr.'s Comments On Food Industry 'Exactly Correct' But Health Views 'Extremely Dangerous'". Forbes. Retrieved 2025-01-31.
  49. ^ Mitchell, Ottilie (29 May 2025). "US government report cited non-existent sources, academics say". BBC News. Retrieved 2025-08-13.
  50. ^ Reese, Shelby (May 29, 2025). "RFK's Snake Oil: "MAHA" Report Rife with Misinformation". Democratic National Committee. Retrieved 2025-08-13.
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