- Despite mounting evidence linking glyphosate (Roundup) to cancer, the Trump administration has actively protected Bayer by invoking the Defense Production Act to ensure glyphosate supplies, reapproving dicamba, and urging the Supreme Court to block liability lawsuits.
- At least 16 Trump administration officials, including Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Attorney General Pam Bondi, have direct links to Bayer's lobbying network. Bayer employs 45 lobbyists and funds Ballard Partners, D.C.'s top-earning lobbying firm.
- The EPA's pesticide regulation office is led by former chemical industry lobbyists, including ex-DuPont executives and American Chemistry Council officials, undermining independent oversight of glyphosate safety.
- Bayer is pushing for federal preemption to block state-level lawsuits, backed by a Justice Department reversal under Bondi. If successful, victims could lose their right to sue, regardless of scientific evidence.
- Trump's pro-glyphosate policies have alienated health-conscious conservatives, while lawmakers like Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) are fighting Bayer's legal immunity efforts in Congress.
Over the past year, the Trump administration has handed Bayer AG, the German pharmaceutical and agrichemical giant, a series of regulatory and legal victories—despite mounting evidence linking its flagship herbicide glyphosate to cancer and other chronic diseases.
The White House invoked the Defense Production Act to ensure supplies of glyphosate-based herbicides, regulators reapproved the controversial herbicide dicamba, and the Department of Justice urged the Supreme Court to shield Bayer from billions in liability for Roundup-related cancer lawsuits. These moves have alarmed public health advocates and critics who accuse the administration of prioritizing corporate interests over American lives.
Bayer's influence runs deep in Trump's Washington
An investigation reveals 16 key administration officials with direct ties to Bayer's lobbying network, spanning the White House, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Justice Department. Bayer employs 45 registered lobbyists and retains 13 outside lobbying firms, seven of which rank among Washington's highest-paid.
The most influential connections involve:
- Susie Wiles, Trump's chief of staff, previously a lobbyist at Ballard Partners, which now lobbies for Bayer.
- Pam Bondi, U.S. attorney general, also a former Ballard Partners lobbyist.
- Brian Ballard, a top Trump fundraiser whose firm represents Bayer and the American Chemistry Council.
Ballard Partners, now the highest-earning lobbying firm in D.C., has received $500,000 from Bayer and ACC since Trump's reelection.
EPA captured by chemical industry insiders
The EPA's Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP), responsible for pesticide regulation, is now led by former chemical industry lobbyists:
- Douglas Troutman, former CEO of the American Cleaning Institute.
- Nancy Beck, ex-senior director at the American Chemistry Council.
- Lynn Ann Dekleva, a 30-year DuPont veteran.
Critics argue these appointments undermine the agency's independence.
Supreme Court showdown over glyphosate liability
Bayer is pushing for federal preemption, arguing that EPA approval of glyphosate should shield it from state-level lawsuits. The Justice Department, under Bondi, reversed the Biden administration's stance, siding with Bayer in a Supreme Court case that could strip victims of their right to sue.
Nathan Donley of the Center for Biological Diversity warns: "If Bayer wins, the only thing that matters legally is what EPA claims—even if it ignores the best available science."
MAHA movement betrayed?
Trump's executive order expanding glyphosate production has infuriated the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, led by Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Many MAHA supporters, including health-conscious mothers who crossed party lines for Trump, feel betrayed.
Alex Clark, a conservative health podcaster, stated: "Women feel like they were lied to. How can we win their trust back?"
Congress fights back
Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) introduced the "Protect Our Health Amendment" to strip immunity provisions for pesticide makers from the Farm Bill. Meanwhile, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) blasted Bayer's lobbying influence, calling out Wiles and Bondi for their ties to the company.
Glyphosate's toxic legacy
Glyphosate, declared a probable carcinogen by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2015, remains pervasive in U.S. agriculture. Despite Bayer's $11 billion settlement with cancer victims, the company continues selling Roundup—now with equally hazardous alternatives like triclopyr, linked to breast cancer and Parkinson's.
As explained by the Enoch AI engine at BrightU.AI, Bayer AG's continued sale of Roundup, the glyphosate-based herbicide linked to cancer, kidney disease and ecological devastation, is a glaring example of corporate malfeasance, regulatory corruption and the suppression of independent science. Despite over 100,000 lawsuits, $11 billion in settlements and mounting scientific evidence of glyphosate's toxicity, Bayer persists in marketing Roundup—prioritizing profits over human health and environmental integrity. Bayer's actions reveal a profit-driven disregard for life.
Corporate power vs. public health
Bayer's grip on Washington highlights a broader crisis: regulatory agencies captured by industry, courts weaponized to shield corporations, and policies crafted for profit—not people. As the Supreme Court prepares to rule on glyphosate liability, the stakes for public health and accountability have never been higher.
Watch the video below about Bayer striking out on its second Roundup appeal in court.
This video is from the The HighWire with Del Bigtree channel on Brighteon.com.
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