On September 9, 2025, the Trump administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” Commission unveiled its much-anticipated “Make Our Children Healthy Again” strategy—a sweeping document that has sparked both applause and criticism from across the political and scientific spectrum. The strategy, released at a high-profile Washington, D.C. news conference with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, and other top officials, lays out 128 recommendations aimed at reversing what Kennedy described as an American health crisis, especially among children.
“The United States is the sickest country in the world,” Kennedy declared, underscoring the urgency behind the commission’s work. According to ABC News, the report focuses on cracking down on chemicals and food processing, improving dietary health, and launching new studies into controversial areas such as the causes of autism and the safety of vaccines. President Trump, who was credited by Kennedy for his willingness to challenge business interests, is expected to make a related announcement later this week.
The release of the report follows a contentious Senate hearing just days earlier, where Kennedy was grilled by lawmakers over his decision to limit access to the COVID-19 vaccine and to fire Susan Monarez from her post as director of the Centers for Disease Control after less than a month. As reported by multiple outlets including The Globe, Kennedy has already fired members of a vaccine advisory board, replacing them with individuals who share his skepticism of the medical establishment—a move that has alarmed public health advocates.
At the heart of the new strategy are efforts to “investigate vaccine injuries,” a topic Kennedy has championed for years. Despite the existence of robust reporting systems and the low documented incidence of serious vaccine side effects, Kennedy argued at the press conference that the current system vastly undercounts vaccine-related incidents. “A lot of these 128 recommendations are things I’ve been dreaming about my whole life,” he said, emphasizing the administration’s commitment to transparency and accountability in health policy.
But the report also elevates many of the fringe beliefs that have made Kennedy a lightning rod in public health debates. It includes a vow to publish a study on “the root causes of autism,” a claim Kennedy has previously linked—erroneously, according to the scientific consensus—to vaccines. The strategy also calls for research into the health impacts of electromagnetic radiation and psychiatric medications, the latter of which Kennedy controversially suggested may be connected to mass shootings. Past studies have found no such link, and critics say these proposals risk diverting attention from more pressing, evidence-based health threats.
Senator Bernie Sanders, speaking at a rival press conference flanked by doctors and health professionals, didn’t mince words. “We are witnessing a full-blown war on science, on public health, and on truth itself,” Sanders said, as reported by The Globe. “It can’t be simpler: Vaccines work. Period.” Sanders and other lawmakers have expressed deep concern that the administration’s approach could undermine public trust in life-saving vaccines and established health practices.
One area where the commission’s report notably diverges from Kennedy’s past rhetoric is on the regulation of pesticides and herbicides. Despite his history as a trial attorney who successfully sued Monsanto over its weed-killer, the new strategy stops short of calling for bans or severe restrictions on chemicals such as glyphosate and Atrazine. Instead, the report outlines plans for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Agriculture Department, and the National Institutes of Health to develop a research framework for “cumulative exposure” across chemical classes, with an emphasis on precision agriculture and targeted pesticide application.
This omission has drawn sharp rebukes from environmental activists and some of Kennedy’s own supporters. Zen Honeycutt, executive director of Moms Across America, described the lack of action on pesticides as “glaring evidence that the chemical companies have corrupted the process.” The Center for Food Safety went further, accusing the commission of offering only “hollow rhetoric” and failing to address the overuse of hazardous pesticides. “Its only mention of pesticides is an Orwellian promise to ensure ‘confidence in EPA’s robust pesticide review procedures,’” the group said in a statement.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins defended the administration’s approach, arguing that the EPA’s review process is among the most rigorous in the world. “To approve any product that is used by our farmers, it will have gone through years upon years upon years of research,” Rollins stated. Both officials emphasized the importance of crop protection tools and precision agriculture in maintaining a safe and abundant food supply.
Industry groups largely welcomed the commission’s emphasis on science-based regulation and innovation. The Corn Refiners Association, National Corn Growers Association, American Soybean Association, and others praised the report’s focus on soil health, regenerative agriculture, and the role of precision technology. “When the commission engaged with agricultural stakeholders and followed the science, it reaffirmed what we already know: EPA is the appropriate agency for regulating crop inputs,” said Kenneth Hartman Jr., president of the National Corn Growers Association.
However, some in the agricultural sector expressed “cautious optimism,” warning against rhetoric that could stigmatize products like soybean oil or enriched grains. Others, like the National Pork Producers Council, cautioned that certain initiatives in the strategy risked deviating from President Trump’s directives on food security and affordability.
Nutrition and health advocacy organizations, including the American Heart Association and the International Fresh Produce Association, saw opportunities in the report’s recommendations to promote healthy eating and research into the effects of ultraprocessed foods. “No strategy to improve children’s health is complete without a comprehensive approach to tobacco control—both preventing initiation and encouraging cessation,” the Heart Association added, urging the administration to expand access to affordable health coverage and nutritious foods.
Yet, the strategy’s embrace of deregulation—particularly in the agricultural, food, drug, and environmental sectors—has left some experts uneasy. While the report calls for updating recommendations on fluoride and PFAS in water, the Trump EPA has rolled back previous regulations on these so-called “forever chemicals.” Similarly, the Agriculture Department’s early cuts to programs connecting local produce to schools and food banks appear at odds with the strategy’s stated goals of improving access to fresh food.
As the dust settles on the release of the “Make Our Children Healthy Again” strategy, it’s clear that the Trump administration’s approach to children’s health is as ambitious as it is controversial. Whether these recommendations will lead to measurable improvements—or simply fuel further debate—remains to be seen.
