Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) movement, intended to improve national health, is facing internal conflict as core supporters express impatience with the pace of change and distrust of corporate partnerships.
Critics, including former employees and vaccine skeptics, claim that top Trump administration officials are undermining Kennedy's agenda and diverting the movement from its original goals. These supporters, who were instrumental in propelling Kennedy into politics, are wary of the administration's collaborations with pharmaceutical companies and tech firms.
The fissures within the MAHA coalition threaten to destabilize a movement that has provided President Trump with a key ally and access to new voters. While the MAHA initiative enjoys broad public support, the expanding scope of the movement has attracted diverse interests, including corporations whose motives are questioned by some of Kennedy's long-time followers.
These critics are concerned that the administration is cozying up to industry rather than confronting it. Despite these internal tensions, Kennedy has defended his colleagues and urged the movement to focus on its achievements and the work ahead, emphasizing unity.
He has taken steps to curtail vaccines and has been praised by his anti-vaccine base for actions that contradict scientific consensus. However, many of his core supporters desire more radical actions, such as punishing companies that profited from pandemic measures and removing mRNA COVID-19 vaccines from the market.
Kennedy's administration has also engaged in high-profile deals, such as negotiating with drugmakers to expand coverage and reduce prices of weight-loss drugs, a move that garnered praise for its potential economic impact but also drew skepticism from those who prefer a focus on root causes of disease. Despite these challenges and the inherent difficulties of political reform, the MAHA movement's broad appeal suggests it is likely to endure beyond any single policy position.
