By Rita Cook
Texas Metro News
https://texasmetronews.com
WASHINGTON DC – President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order this past week to promote the national defense by ensuring an adequate supply of elemental phosphorus and glyphosate-based herbicides.
While his Make America Great Again supporters might or might not be concerned about this latest executive order, the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement folks are genuinely worried. The order means boosting the controversial herbicide glyphosate, and as a reminder, glyphosate is one of the main ingredients in the weedkiller Roundup manufactured by Monsanto. It has been linked to an increased risk of B-cell and T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma according to a Roundup lawsuit described at Trustwell Law Group.
“The Roundup lawsuits are being filed against Monsanto by people exposed to Roundup who were later diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma or one of many subtypes including hairy cell leukemia (HCL), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), and Burkitt lymphoma,” the TrustWell Law Group website describes.
Trump said in his EO last week that this dangerous chemical is “a cornerstone of this nation’s agricultural productivity and rural economy” and he also pointed out “Ensuring an adequate supply of elemental phosphorus and glyphosate-based herbicides is thus crucial to the national security and defense, including food-supply security, which is essential to protecting the health and safety of Americans.”
The Agriculture secretary was instructed to make sure there is “an adequate supply of glyphosate-based herbicides” and noted the producers of chemicals such as these should have “immunity” under the Defense Production Act.
Those who are against the use of dangerous pesticides in the United States whether part of the MAHA movement, which is aligned with the Republican party or otherwise disagree with this EO.
MAHA activists became aligned with the Republican party by U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Servies Robert F. Kennedy Jr., however David Murphy, former finance director for Kennedy during his presidential run said this latest EO could lose the Republicans important seats in the midterm elections, his prediction as many as 10 to 20 House seats.
“They should be s**ting their pants,” Murphy said regarding the midterms. “MAHA is what put them over the top in the 2024 election. This will end Republicans’ control of [the] House.”
And even though Kennedy has spoken again glyphosate in the past, he decided to support this latest EO anyway noting glyphosate-based herbicides puts America first regarding defense readiness and food supply.
“Trump’s executive order is nothing more than an attempt to protect one of the biggest producers of a toxic pesticide from legal liabilities,” said Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) in a statement. “The message from this Administration is clear: chemical company profits are more important than your health.”
The company tied up with the herbicide glyphosate production said it does not cause cancer and pointed to a federal government’s Agricultural Health Study. Unfortunately, many Americans reject believing anything the federal government reports anymore due to former government dishonesty.
The study did state that there was evidence of acute myeloid leukemia risk in people with high exposure levels to this chemical.
A study last year also found glyphosate caused cancers in rats and the director of Boston College’s Program for Global Public Health and the Common Good, told one news outlet he was “comfortable saying” glyphosate causes cancer.
Rita Cook is a world traveler and writer/editor who specializes in writing on travel, auto, crime and politics. A correspondent for Texas Metro News, she has published 11 books and has also produced low-budget films.
