The Trump administration is moving to more closely track and study microplastics and pharmaceuticals in Americans&#8217; drinking water, marking the first time federal regulators have formally flagged them as potential contaminants.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated that microplastics are a “growing threat to human health.”
The effort is split into two initiatives, first shared with The Daily Wire.
The Environmental Protection Agency will consider microplastics and pharmaceuticals a “priority contaminant group” in a current draft list. At the same time, a Health and Human Services-backed agency is launching the Systematic Targeting of Microplastics (STOMP) project to investigate the impact of microplastics and their effects on human health.
&#8220;For too long, Americans have vocalized concerns about plastics and pharmaceuticals in their drinking water. That ends today,” EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said on Thursday.
Microplastics have been detected in water, food, and household products, and some research has linked them to serious health issues like cancer, though scientists say more study is needed to understand their full impact, according to <a href="https://med.stanford.edu/news/insights/2025/01/microplastics-in-body-polluted-tiny-plastic-fragments.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stanford University School of Medicine</a>.
“Americans deserve clear answers about how microplastics in their bodies affect their health,&#8221; Kennedy Jr. said. &#8220;Through [Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health’s] STOMP program, we will measure microplastic exposure, identify sources of risk, and develop targeted solutions to reduce it,” he said.
As for the administration’s initiatives, the goal of STOMP is to focus on the impact of microplastics in the body, specifically how to “measure,” “target,” and “remove” them. It will identify the most dangerous microplastics and how they affect the human body.
The EPA’s decision to include microplastics on its draft Contaminant Candidate List “does not constitute regulation, but signals that a substance warrants serious scientific attention and may be considered for future regulatory action,” the agency told The Daily Wire.
“By placing microplastics and pharmaceuticals on the Contaminant Candidate List for the first time ever, EPA is sending a clear message: we will follow the science, we will pursue answers, and we will hold ourselves to the highest standards to protect the health of every American family,” Zeldin explained.
Kimberly Wise White, Ph.D., who serves as vice of regulatory and scientific affairs at the American Chemistry Council, said the organization supports &#8220;science-driven monitoring of microplastics in drinking water and research to better understand potential impacts.&#8221;
&#8220;People want clear answers on microplastics, and any drinking water monitoring program must address <a href="https://2244cf6a.streak-link.com/C1L0mjfUFGcEd_K5ZA0yrYvB/http%3A%2F%2Flink.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com%2Fls%2Fclick%3Fupn%3Du001.Qyj58FigvMRC96dcC2S4KNjCL20O7sP-2B4Pjq84SIXsEHUfMcmsBXBIl8DmU73q7pkMjL_SRyOrIcdwJbpfaG7RzzySYK8nAywSKGplH3LOjf4JVtkcvJrNDWVwpIurOw1tOLOU8IlSbJpQxLsxantCzquhbBXxlYNYtGXx9jLylLa4TmmrSrNcYZTV90UX2gJpZg-2B4QM4t7n2iNMEZX9KlwWHDxFMZWa9Z-2B1QTMDYG1BZIxbO1fhmIIajpIJMYEwHwjfONpNpI5UYWWaWr7r4pTlNsGKK5JzokpzVUBV7Tc9yyS3DTLgaZ6jr1OAJHqvS-2BUbTte2eSvXf7TpqKOLO2sUxfA6OIDxLnZ-2Ffyb7Fx7317OgFVi9xe0q7QKqDCCXxO6-2BOooz-2FuVNZEmrSOMQLUAwfFs1nc-2BLnUZ8Q6xJEw5Z6Aaj-2F8qXwwUkME-2BBSxTH1AOYHKzsLwq00fT2ILtrVxZ2cMA-3D-3D" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">several existing hurdles</a>, including developing clear definitions, ensuring adequate lab capacity, and standardizing sampling and testing methods to be used consistently across the country,” she added.
Zeldin and Kennedy Jr. are expected to formally announce the effort in Washington, D.C. on Thursday afternoon.

Richmond Water Crisis

Trump Admin Announces Major Steps Countering Big Pharma And Microplastics

Health

Health and Human Services

Lee Zeldin

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

With all of the seriousness that envelopes most of the day-to-day operations within the government, sometimes it&#8217;s good to let down the hair, loosen the neckties, and think up a good prank for the social media team to run with for April Fools&#8217; Day.
The Department of Health and Human Services led the charge with a post showing HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — notorious for his strict diet and opposition to fake dyes and additives in food — at a grocery store buying items that would definitely be considered contraband.
&#8220;BREAKING NEWS: SECRETARY KENNEDY CAUGHT PURCHASING ARTIFICIALLY-DYED CANDIES IN BULK,&#8221; the headline read.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://t.co/oOBv1uuT0g">pic.twitter.com/oOBv1uuT0g</a>
— HHS Rapid Response (@HHSResponse) <a href="https://twitter.com/HHSResponse/status/2039330926191165716?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Kennedy followed with a post of his own admitting that it was a joke.
The Department of Homeland Security shared a poster advertising free flights to the moon for illegal aliens. &#8220;FLY TO THE MOON FOR FREE!&#8221; the poster read, along with a caption that said, &#8220;This April 1st, we kindly ask all aliens to GO HOME.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
This April 1st, we kindly ask all aliens to GO HOME. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ArtemisII?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ArtemisII</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheyAreGoingBack?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheyAreGoingBack</a> <a href="https://t.co/RJ2Z5yH33E">pic.twitter.com/RJ2Z5yH33E</a>
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) <a href="https://twitter.com/DHSgov/status/2039409788908371996?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The National Archives got in on the joke with screenshots of a &#8220;group chat&#8221; between the Founding Fathers as they prepared to sign the Declaration of Independence.
Thomas Jefferson kicked off the conversation: &#8220;Ok, patriots, the final draft is ready.&#8221;
&#8220;Wait, do I sign with my real signature or my cool one?&#8221; John Hancock wanted to know.
&#8220;Make it BIG, John,&#8221; Benjamin Franklin advised. &#8220;Go viral or go home.&#8221;
Another frame showed the men arguing about how long the process was taking and who had brought the snacks.
&#8220;Can someone please proofread before I sign?&#8221; George Washington asked — and Jefferson replied, &#8220;Too late. I already tweeted it.&#8221;
The last line showed King George III of England being added to the chat, and he responded with just an emoji: wide eyes.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Breaking news: The National Archives has released the Founding Fathers group chat for the signing of the Declaration of Independence.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AprilFoolsDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AprilFoolsDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/2YHku5K4VI">pic.twitter.com/2YHku5K4VI</a>
— U.S. National Archives (@USNatArchives) <a href="https://twitter.com/USNatArchives/status/2039352671392485401?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The U.S. Department of the Interior went for the two-fer in a post outlining proposed changes to the national animal ahead of the United States celebrating its 250th birthday in 2026.
&#8220;As part of preparations for America’s 250th anniversary, Interior is reviewing wildlife nomenclature to better reflect the nation’s history and character. Following this review, the raccoon (Procyon lotor) will be renamed the Liberty Bandit, effective April 1, 2026,&#8221; the first post read.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Known for its resourcefulness and ability to operate under cover of night, the Liberty Bandit reflects a distinctly American spirit of independence.
Additional updates will be announced in phases, including renaming the skunk (Mephitis mephitis) the Freedom Fogger. 😉 <a href="https://t.co/TzKJIAQ5Dj">pic.twitter.com/TzKJIAQ5Dj</a>
— US Department of the Interior (@Interior) <a href="https://twitter.com/Interior/status/2039334053334200641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
An immediate follow up added that in addition to giving the raccoon a place of prominence as the &#8220;Liberty Bandit,&#8221; they also planned to rename the skunk the &#8220;Freedom Fogger.&#8221;
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service promised immediate compliance with the new nomenclature, saying, &#8220;We&#8217;ll get this updated on our website ASAP.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
We&#8217;ll get this updated on our website ASAP. <a href="https://t.co/FoHyeLuS3n">https://t.co/FoHyeLuS3n</a>
— U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (@USFWS) <a href="https://twitter.com/USFWS/status/2039391809579692339?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command (ACIC) stole the show with new guidance detailing the proper headgear for soldiers with Top Secret security clearances.
&#8220;The new Frequency Obstructing Interception Layer (FOIL) covers are designed to mitigate unauthorized SIGINT collection and ensure your thoughts remain on a &#8216;need to know&#8217; basis,&#8221; the description read — and the accompanying illustration showed eight different types of military headgear redone as tinfoil hats.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
ACIC releases headwear guidance for Soldiers with Top Secret clearances.
The new Frequency Obstructing Interception Layer (FOIL) covers are designed to mitigate unauthorized SIGINT collection and ensure your thoughts remain on a &#8220;need to know&#8221; basis.
(Graphic made with AI) <a href="https://t.co/KJFdVLIlu1">pic.twitter.com/KJFdVLIlu1</a>
— Army Counterintelligence Command (ACIC) (@Real_ArmyCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/Real_ArmyCI/status/2039315175677849932?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Screenshot/HHS

Even The Government Is Getting In On The Joke Today

Media

Military

Politics

Social Media

Cheryl Hines is pushing back on claims from leftist comedian Chelsea Handler that she and her husband, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., sold her a “toxic” $6 million home in Los Angeles.
The “Curb Your Enthusiasm” alum provided her version of events on an upcoming episode of the “Tomi Lahren is Fearless” podcast, questioning why Handler is creating the drama years after purchasing the property. 
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Cheryl Hines Gets Candid on Politics, Trump, and Life With RFK Jr." width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MXTRs5279sk?start=446&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
“She bought this house five years ago and she&#8217;s just now complaining about it,&#8221; Hines said. &#8220;I don&#8217;t know that she&#8217;s getting a lot of sympathy from people. She&#8217;s buying a $6 million house&#8230;and talking about how she feels duped and that we tried to sell her a house that was, her word, ‘toxic,’ which also doesn&#8217;t make sense.&#8221;
Hines went on to say Handler’s claim “doesn&#8217;t really hold water,” pointing to what she described as a friendly and open line of communication during the sale. 
“I did write her a personal note when she moved in, just saying how much we love the house. And I hope that she has a beautiful life in this house. And if you need anything, call me. And I left my number,” Hines said. “So I don&#8217;t know… if we were trying to unload a toxic house on her, I wouldn&#8217;t have left my number.”
Hines had some theories about why Handler would be making the claims now, telling the podcast host that Handler is “just trying to get attention” and that it&#8217;s “probably fun for her to make fun of&#8221; Kennedy.
“So, what are you going to do? She&#8217;s trying to get a laugh, I guess, and some likes,” Hines added.
Handler, meanwhile, says she has experienced problems with the home for years. During an appearance on &#8220;Jimmy Kimmel Live!&#8221; earlier this month, she blamed Kennedy and Hines for issues that were not caught during inspection.
“It took me four years to move in. There [were] a lot of problems with the house — I blame him,&#8221; she said, referring to RFK Jr. &#8220;And that didn’t get caught during inspection. And a lot of drama with the house. But I did just move in for the first time yesterday. So, I’m good.&#8221;
“I mean, I have chlamydia, herpes, and what else does he have?” Handler joked. “Oh, measles. I have chlamydia, measles, and herpes.”
Handler first brought up the topic during an episode of her “Dear Chelsea” podcast, saying the home was “toxic” and uninhabitable when she purchased it. 
“I still have not lived in this house. That&#8217;s how f***ed up this house was,” she said at the time.
Handler also confirmed Hines&#8217; story about leaving a note and said she wouldn&#8217;t have purchased the home had she known who previously owned it.
“Cheryl Hines sent me a note saying, ‘Thank you, we’re so excited you bought our house. Let us know if there’s anything we can do,’” Handler said on her podcast. “And I was like, ‘Oh no! I bought RFK Jr.’s house?’ Like the one person in the world that I would flag whose house not to buy.”

Cheryl Hines

RFK Jr.’s Wife Cheryl Hines Fires Back At Chelsea Handler Over ‘Toxic’ Accusation

Chelsea Handler

Entertainment

Hollywood

A Biden-appointed judge in Oregon on Thursday said he would block a Trump administration declaration stating that transgender medical procedures for children are not “safe” or “effective.” 
U.S. District Judge Mustafa Kasubhai sided with more than a dozen Democratic attorneys general who challenged the <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/declaration-pediatric-sex-rejecting-procedures.pdf">policy</a> issued by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in December 2025.
In that declaration, the Department of Health and Human Services said that “sex-rejecting procedures for children and adolescents are neither safe nor effective as a treatment modality for gender dysphoria, gender incongruence, or other related disorders in minors, and therefore, fail to meet professional recognized standards of health care.”
The administration <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ord.191371/gov.uscourts.ord.191371.86.0_1.pdf">argued</a> the declaration was a general statement of policy. However, Kasubhai indicated that Kennedy did not follow the required procedures in issuing it.
“The notion that ‘I will go forward and issue a declaration and see if we can get away with it’ is not a principle of governance that adheres to the overarching commitment to a democratic republic that requires the rule of law to be regarded and respected and honored as a sacred,” Kasubhai <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/19/us/rfk-jr-transgender-care-ruling.html">said</a>. 
The judge delivered a verbal ruling from the bench and said a written decision would follow. 
The declaration addressed treatments including puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries like mastectomies and vaginoplasties.
New York Attorney General Letitia James, one of the plaintiffs in the case, celebrated the ruling.  
“Health care services for transgender young people remain legal, and the federal government cannot intimidate or punish the providers who offer them,” James said. “It is my duty and my privilege to stand with trans New Yorkers and their families. I will always fight for the LGBTQ+ community.”
The ruling comes as the Trump administration has taken steps to cut off federal funding for all providers that offer such treatments to minors. In December, HHS <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-admin-to-cut-funding-from-all-hospitals-that-perform-trans-procedures-on-kids">posted rules</a> to bar hospitals providing transgender procedures to minors from participating in Medicare and Medicaid programs, and would prohibit Medicaid’s Children’s Health Insurance Program from being used for transgender procedures for individuals under 19.

FDA Unveils New Framework To Speed Ultra-Rare Drug Approvals

Your Tax Dollars Could Still Be On The Line In Fight Over Trans Surgeries for Kids

Department of Health and Human Services

Letitia James

Oregon

Transgender

transgender surgery

Hollywood is great at keeping secrets. 
Ellen DeGeneres built a career on a relentlessly nice persona that belied her behind-the-scenes cruelty. Harvey Weinstein’s Midas touch distracted us from his predatory encounters with starlets. And Sean “Diddy” Combs turned out to be more than a music mogul — he allegedly presided over a garish, sex-obsessed ring.
The new Hollywood Blacklist, by comparison, is out in the open. Conservative artists, beware. Sharing your point of view can cost you. Dearly.
Yet very few industry types will admit or decry it. And we’re seeing even more evidence of it.
<div id="attachment_1059531" style="width: 842px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1059531" class="size-large wp-image-1059531" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-854869502-832x576.jpg" alt="NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 27: Cheryl Hines and Larry David attend the &quot;Curb Your Enthusiasm&quot; season 9 premiere at SVA Theater on September 27, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)" width="832" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-854869502-832x576.jpg 832w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-854869502-300x208.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-854869502-768x532.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-854869502.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 832px) 100vw, 832px" />Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images</div>
Cheryl Hines has been working nonstop for decades, even if we all know her best as Larry’s exasperated wife (then ex-wife) on HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”
But a funny thing happened to Hines on the way to her husband Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.&#8217;s endorsement of Donald Trump.
The roles dried up.
The in-demand comic actress hasn’t had a new gig since “Curb” wrapped two years ago. Is she turning work down? Or did her phone stop ringing? What could have changed?
Hines has been polite on the subject in a barrage of interviews, suggesting her Hollywood friendships have strained under that political weight. She also isn’t a part of Larry David’s upcoming HBO comedy series, an untitled satire co-produced by the Obamas.
The Daily Mail added that the Obamas <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-15000917/Cheryl-Hines-Larry-David-new-HBO-barack-michelle-obama.html">won’t allow Hines</a> to be part of the show.
She even got <a href="https://x.com/bradleywhitford/status/1827444691316732393?lang=en">called out</a> by Emmy winner Bradley Whitford on social media for her political ties.
<blockquote>…way to stay silent while your lunatic husband throws his support behind the adjudicated rapist who brags about stripping women of their fundamental rights. Gutsy. Great example for the kids. Profile in courage.</blockquote>
She also may have lost a long-term friendship with former podcast partner Tig Notaro. The two <a href="https://people.com/tig-notaro-reflects-on-strange-friendship-fallout-from-cheryl-hines-over-rfk-jr-trump-ties-11923515">hosted “Tig and Cheryl: True Story”</a> for three years before ending the show in May of 2023. Notaro helped end the show due to Hines’ husband’s political aspirations, though it’s unclear why that element had to be a show stopper.
<div id="attachment_1059545" style="width: 825px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1059545" class="size-large wp-image-1059545" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-13-Mar-2026-01-23-PM-8640-815x576.jpg" alt="PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 31: Cheryl Hines attends the Third Annual &quot;Starry Starry Night Gala&quot; at Chaparral Country Club on January 31, 2026 in Palm Desert, California. (Photo by David Crotty/Getty Images)BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 07: Tig Notaro attends the 62nd Cinema Audio Society Awards on March 07, 2026 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Lizeth Ramirez/Getty Images)" width="815" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-13-Mar-2026-01-23-PM-8640-815x576.jpg 815w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-13-Mar-2026-01-23-PM-8640-300x212.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-13-Mar-2026-01-23-PM-8640-768x543.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-13-Mar-2026-01-23-PM-8640-1536x1086.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/MixCollage-13-Mar-2026-01-23-PM-8640-2048x1448.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 815px) 100vw, 815px" />Hines: Photo by David Crotty. Notaro: Photo by Lizeth Ramirez</div>
Notaro suggests politics didn’t end their friendship, although it clearly forced her to quit the podcast.
<blockquote>I realized one day that she doesn’t ever reach out to me anymore. She responds to me, but she doesn’t reach out to me. I had to kind of shake myself out of denial that, ‘Oh, she’s gone,’ and, ‘OK, I need to let this go. I need to let it go.’</blockquote>
Others in Hollywood likely did just that to Hines. The Hollywood Reporter even suggested that would <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/politics-news/cheryl-hines-rfk-jr-drop-presidential-race-trump-1235981992/">happen due to her political ties</a>. The actress has been on the Left for some time, for what it’s worth, but she’s being judged based on her husband’s views.
Dennis Quaid has defied the new Hollywood Blacklist. For now.
The 71-year-old screen legend stays busy, including a supporting turn in the new Netflix action romp “War Machine.” He even starred as the title character in 2024’s “Reagan” and admitted to being a President Donald Trump supporter during the film’s publicity push.
<div id="attachment_1059553" style="width: 875px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1059553" class="size-large wp-image-1059553" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2263942335-865x576.jpg" alt="CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 27: Actor Dennis Quaid (R) joins U.S. President Donald Trump as he speaks at the Port of Corpus Christi on February 27, 2026 in Corpus Christi, Texas. Trump visited Texas to deliver remarks on affordability and economic issues less than a week before the state's midterm primary elections on March 3rd. (Photo by Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images)" width="865" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2263942335-865x576.jpg 865w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2263942335-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2263942335-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2263942335.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 865px) 100vw, 865px" />Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images</div>
Still, the work keeps on coming. That’s more common with established, Right-leaning actors like Tim Allen, Kelsey Grammer, and Jon Voight. But Quaid’s political leanings, which he describes as more independent than doctrinaire conservative, still found him singled out by a peer.
A peer who recently joined him on screen.
Nick Offerman and Quaid worked together on last year’s “Sovereign,” the story of an anti-government zealot (Offerman) who pushes his conspiracy theories too far.
Offerman didn’t share a negative word about his time on the set with Quaid on the “Lovett or Leave It” podcast with former Obama speechwriter Jon Lovett. Instead, he insulted the actor <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qg2smuJfxN8&amp;t=1s">for thinking the “wrong” way</a>.
“Right after we finished the movie, he suddenly came out with a gospel country record and went on Tucker Carlson and f***ing [Sean] Hannity to play his Trump gospel songs,” Offerman said. 
“What? He’s a hero of my life. I’ve looked up to him. He’s a great actor.”
<div id="attachment_1059591" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1059591" class="size-large wp-image-1059591" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2219737581-864x576.jpg" alt="SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 12: Nick Offerman speaks during a press conference at Pier One Sydney Harbour on June 12, 2025 in Sydney, Australia. Offerman and Mullally will take the stage for, Unscripted and Unfiltered, to close out Vivid Sydney 2025. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2219737581-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2219737581-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2219737581-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2219737581.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Brendon Thorne/Getty Images</div>
Later, the “Parks &amp; Recreation” alum doubled down on both Dennis and brother Randy Quaid. The latter worked in Hollywood for years, but a <a href="https://abcnews.com/Entertainment/randy-quaid-wife-evi-hollywood-refugees-exclusive-interview/story?id=12020421">series of bizarre incidents</a> coaxed his exit from the industry.
“[Randy Quaid] was very crazy, and he went away, but Dennis kept it under wraps until last year,” he continued. “But he’s now gone.”
The Blacklist-style bigotry isn’t relegated to the film industry. Hip hop superstar Nicki Minaj didn’t don a red MAGA hat during President Trump’s first term, but in recent months, she noticed how the Republican leader <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-deep-sense-of-gratitude-nicki-minaj-praises-trump-for-action-on-persecuted-christians">supported Christians being persecuted in Nigeria</a>.
<div id="attachment_1059621" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1059621" class="size-large wp-image-1059621" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2258679012-864x576.jpg" alt="WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 28: Musician Nicki Minaj (L) joins U.S. President Donald Trump on stage as he delivers remarks during the Treasury Department's Trump Accounts Summit at Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium on January 28, 2026 in Washington, DC. &quot;Trump Accounts&quot; are a portion of recently passed tax and spending legislation where the federal government will deposit $1,000 into investment accounts for every child born between 2025 and 2028 once parents sign their children up while filing their income taxes.  (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2258679012-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2258679012-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2258679012-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2258679012.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Win McNamee/Getty Images</div>
That resonated with her, and she eventually threw her celebrity cache behind the unorthodox leader. Within weeks, she became the comic target of Grammy host Trevor Noah at the gala’s annual soiree.
<blockquote>Nicki Minaj is not here…She’s still at the White House with Donald Trump, discussing very important issues.</blockquote>
He then broke out his Trump impression as the Tony crowd chortled.
<blockquote>Actually Nicki, I have the biggest ass! Everybody’s saying it. I know they say it’s you, but it’s me. WAP, WAP, WAP. Look at it, baby.</blockquote>
Her crime? Being an independent thinker, and no progressive star in Hollywood or the music industry had her back.
And actress Katherine Heigl could be next. The once-in-demand star of “Grey’s Anatomy” appeared in public earlier this month to support the Big Dog Ranch Rescue gala at Mar-A-Lago, Trump’s private retreat.
<div id="attachment_1058339" style="width: 973px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1058339" class="size-large wp-image-1058339" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Katherine-Heigl-963x576.jpg" alt="Katherine Heigl" width="963" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Katherine-Heigl-963x576.jpg 963w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Katherine-Heigl-300x180.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Katherine-Heigl-768x460.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Katherine-Heigl.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 963px) 100vw, 963px" />Manny Hernandez/Getty Images</div>
She even brought her mom to the red carpet gala.
Heigl had to make a public statement after appearing at the apolitical event, defending her passion for worthy causes by saying, <a href="https://pagesix.com/2026/03/11/celebrity-news/katherine-heigl-hits-back-at-fans-politicizing-her-attendance-at-mar-a-lago-rescue-event/">“animals don’t vote.”</a> Could that one appearance impact her chances at a Hollywood comeback?
Ask Offerman.
And this is the stuff we see in public, not the behind-the-scenes cancellations and attacks. It’s likely far worse there.
The unofficial conservative blacklist may have weakened in recent months, with high-profile stars like Zachary Levi and Sylvester Stallone supporting Trump without overt blowback.
In some ways the bigotry against Right-leaning artists is as strong as ever.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic, and editor of <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

President Trump Speaks Port Of Corpus Christi In Texas

Hollywood Still Blacklists Conservatives — Now They Don’t Even Hide It

Cancel Culture

Comedy

Conservatives

Dennis Quaid

Donald Trump

Nicki Minaj

White House

When President Trump nominated Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. for HHS Secretary in late 2024, some <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5099888-advancing-american-freedom-opposes-kennedy/">Beltway Republicans</a> tried to tank his nomination. For conservatives, these critics’ strongest argument was that Kennedy was for decades a liberal Democrat who supported abortion on demand.
I’m a pro-life conservative. So why did I, along with millions of others like me, support Kennedy’s nomination and tell skeptical pro-life critics to give him the benefit of the doubt?
For me, the story starts with the COVID lockdowns in 2020. I spent the better part of that year co-authoring <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Price-Panic-Tyranny-Pandemic-Catastrophe/dp/1684511410/ref=sr_1_1">the first book</a> to make the case that locking down the population would do far more harm than good. COVID was the greatest test of wisdom and courage in a generation. Most public officials, from both parties, failed the test. Kennedy aced it.
The raspy-voiced lawyer helped millions of Americans see the dangers of a “biomedical security state” that blurred the binary mental map of free versus communist countries that had served us well during the Cold War. That framework was of limited value for fighting this new, domestic threat to our civil and medical freedom: a corporatist state.
Post-Covid, millions of Americans realized our problem was not just Big Government or Big Business. The problem is, in effect, a cartel that blurs the lines of public and private — one often enabled by a corporate media too dependent on ad revenue to speak truth to the real power.
The lockdowns and draconian vaccine mandates taught another lesson: past partisan ties do not guarantee good future results. For many of us, resisting the COVID-inspired assaults on our liberty was a better credential than party affiliation.
This is one of several reasons millions of conservative voters began to warm to Kennedy, even if they planned to vote for Donald Trump in the general election. And that latent support for Kennedy <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/polls-show-americans-conflicted-on-robert-f-kennedy-jr-and-his-health-stances">exploded</a> after he announced his support for Donald Trump on August 23, 2024.
This was no mere marriage of convenience. It was the first sign of a political realignment. No doubt many staunch progressives <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/08/23/as-rfk-jr-exits-a-look-at-who-supported-him-in-the-2024-presidential-race/">abandoned Kennedy</a> when he endorsed Donald Trump. But many independents and disgruntled Democrats stayed. A new MAGA-MAHA coalition was born.
What made Kennedy’s endorsement of Trump truly historic was the topic he chose to elevate — one of deep concern to tens of millions of American families across the political spectrum but mostly missing from our two major party platforms: the staggering rise of chronic diseases among American children.
As HHS secretary, Kennedy has made the fight against childhood chronic disease his lodestar. And despite constant efforts by critics to paint him as extreme, almost everyone is now taking chronic disease seriously.
But what about the year-old charge that Kennedy would be a cheerleader for abortion? It was wrong. As HHS Secretary, he lacks the power to stop all abortions or close every Planned Parenthood clinic. Kennedy must also work within the constraints of the president who nominated him. But within Kennedy’s remit, his actions have been encouraging.
Last September, for instance, he announced a new FDA review of the safety and approval process of the abortion pill mifepristone. Abortion advocates <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/health-secretary-rfk-jr-launches-review-abortion-pill/story?id=125908299">are not pleased</a>. After all, in a Post-Roe world, <a href="https://www.guttmacher.org/2024/03/medication-abortion-accounted-63-all-us-abortions-2023-increase-53-2020">most abortions are chemical</a>, not surgical.
In late January, <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/conscience-dlc.html">he beefed up federal conscience safeguards</a> for healthcare workers. This protects providers from being forced to participate in abortions or other procedures. This includes new policy guidance and investigations into violations.
Most dramatically, <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/wtas-hhs-bars-research-using-human-fetal-tissue-from-elective-abortions.html">he has just barred</a> HHS-funded research from using human fetal tissue from elective abortions. Pro-life Americans have asked for this ban for decades. The practice continued even during the tenure of NIH director Francis Collins, an evangelical Christian, who <a href="https://www.politico.com/story/2018/12/18/anti-abortion-groups-francis-collins-nih-1068724">explicitly defended</a> it.
Like Nixon visiting China, I hope Kennedy will do more to defend pre-born human life. It’s not a vain hope. During one telling interview last year, Kennedy denounced a CDC publication that listed “abortion” as one of the top 10 health achievements of the 20th century.
The press “fact-checked” the comment, since <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/wk/mm4812.pdf">the document</a> he likely had in mind listed “family planning” rather than “abortion.” (Pro-life advocates recognize the family planning as a euphemism for abortion.) But most missed the crucial “tell”: Kennedy recoiled from the notion that abortion could be cited as a health care achievement.
For pro-life conservatives, supporting Kennedy’s nomination posed some risk. One year in, however, my choice to support Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is an easy one.
* * *
Jay W. Richards, PhD, is Vice President for Social and Domestic Policy at The Heritage Foundation.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

I’m a Conservative. Here’s Why I Support Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

COVID

Heritage Foundation

MAHA

Opinion

Trump Administration

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. issued a response to Democrat Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, who was defending New England favorite Dunkin&#8217; from the ire of MAHA.
The exchange came after Kennedy Jr. took aim at Dunkin&#8217; during a rally last week at Brazos Hall in Austin, Texas.
“We’re going to ask Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks, ‘Show us the safety data that show that it’s OK for a teenage girl to drink an iced coffee with 115 grams of sugar in it,&#8217;” RFK Jr. said at the time. “I don’t think they’re going to be able to do it.”
“No one is taking away your Dunkin&#8217;. But isn&#8217;t it reasonable to ask whether a drink loaded with 180 grams of sugar is safe?” RFK Jr. wrote in response to Healey’s tweet, which included an illustration of a Dunkin’ beverage cup and text beneath it saying, “Come and take it.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
No one is taking away your Dunkin&#8217;. But isn&#8217;t it reasonable to ask whether a drink loaded with 180 grams of sugar is safe? <a href="https://t.co/nV6KLOBf94">https://t.co/nV6KLOBf94</a>
— Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecKennedy/status/2029648656005996907?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
His position was further clarified after the rally.
“Secretary Kennedy also announced the closure of the GRAS (generally recognized as safe) loophole, requiring any new food ingredient to provide proof of safety,” MAHA Action, a Kennedy-aligned nonprofit, said in a statement <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hhs-secretary-kennedy-announces-nutrition-requirements-for-medical-licensing-baby-formula-safety-standards-at-austin-rally-for-real-food-302701305.html">posted</a> on Monday. 
“Companies including Dunkin&#8217; Donuts and Starbucks will be required to produce safety data they were supposed to have maintained. The reforms aim to ensure American foods follow the highest safety and nutritional standards globally.”
RFK Jr. railed against the GRAS loophole during a “60 Minutes” appearance last month.
“That loophole was hijacked by the industry, and it was used to add thousands upon thousands of new ingredients into our food supply,” Kennedy said at the time. “In Europe there’s only 400 legal ingredients. This agency does not know how many ingredients there are in American food.”
“There is…no way for any American to know if a product is safe if it is ultra processed,” he added.

Dunkin

RFK Jr. Takes Not So Sweet Dig At Democratic Governor In Dunkin’ Donuts Fight

Food

Massachusetts

Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) is asking the Department of Health and Human Services to release a trove of emails and communications written by the Biden administration’s high-profile, transgender-identifying Assistant Secretary Richard “Rachel” Levine.
“It is crucial that Congress and the Executive Branch, including HHS, partner together to uncover any collusion or wrongdoing, including the suppression of evidence-based medicine by previous administrations, which can cause irrevocable harm to our country’s children,” the Louisiana Republican, who <a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/chair/about" target="_blank" rel="noopener">chairs</a> the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), wrote in the letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
In the letter, Cassidy requests emails and communications between Levine, members of his staff, and several medical organizations that support gender transitions for children, including the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Endocrine Society, that were exchanged during the Biden presidency.
“HHS remains committed to reversing the harmful policies enacted by Levine and the Biden Administration that did irreparable harm to children, and to ensuring biological reality guides our approach to public health. The Department will respond directly to Senator Cassidy,” Health and Human Services press secretary Emily Hilliard told The Daily Wire.
The Biden administration was known for its <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-admin-releases-report-promoting-transgenderism-abroad-for-inclusive-democracy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">embrace</a> of radical gender ideology and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-media-lied-about-child-gender-surgeries-and-heres-the-proof" target="_blank" rel="noopener">push</a> to provide experimental sex-rejecting interventions, such as puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries, to children and young adults.
Cassidy asks in the letter that HHS provide communications between Admiral Levine and White House personnel, including “former President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and staff,” about “gender affirming care” and the transgender agenda.
Levine <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-admins-rachel-levine-met-with-wpath-as-he-pushed-for-removal-of-trans-surgery-age-restrictions?author=Spencer+Lindquist&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Biden+Admin%E2%80%99s+Rachel+Levine+Met+With+WPATH+As+He+Pushed+For+Removal+Of+Trans+Surgery+Age+Restrictions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">controversially</a> <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trans-identifying-biden-official-allegedly-behind-push-to-ditch-age-guidelines-for-transgender-procedures-docs-show?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trans-Identifying+Biden+Official+Allegedly+Behind+Push+To+Ditch+Age+Guidelines+For+Transgender+Procedures%3A+Docs+Show" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pressured WPATH</a> into removing gender surgery age minimums from its clinical guidance, called the Standards of Care version 8, as revealed in emails made public during Boe v. Marshall, when Alabama Attorney General Stephen Marshall successfully <a href="https://www.alabamaag.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/2025.5.1-Attorney-General-Steve-Marshall-Announces-Victory-in-Defense-of-Alabamas-Law-Prohibiting-Sex-Change-Procedures-for-Minors.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">defended</a> Alabama’s right to ban sex-rejecting procedures for minors.
“Former Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Assistant Secretary for Health Admiral Levine and staff, exercised significant political influence over WPATH and possibly other medical and professional organizations,” Cassidy writes.
“That influence appears to have been directed toward and ultimately resulted in the removal of age limits for adolescent gender transition surgical interventions, including mastectomies, breast augmentation, facial surgeries, genital surgeries, and hysterectomies, from WPATH’s Standards of Care (SOC-8).”
Cassidy asked HHS to provide the requested emails, documents, and communications by March 5, 2026.
“Americans have every right to know the scientific rigor of the data behind policies and guidelines issued by medical and professional organizations, particularly given that these guidelines are widely used and relied upon by health care providers and patients, including minors,” Cassidy said.

Joe Biden

The New Move To Uncover Biden White House Emails On Youth Gender Policy

bill Cassidy

Rachel Levine

WASHINGTON — Make America Healthy Again advocates are up in arms over President Donald Trump&#8217;s decision to protect domestic production of herbicides, saying the president is prioritizing the agriculture industry over Americans&#8217; health.
The president on Thursday signed an executive order invoking the Defense Production Act to protect domestic production of elemental phosphorus and glyphosate-based herbicides. The move is intended to bolster national security by preserving critical supply chains, describing phosphorus and glyphosate as &#8220;critical materials&#8221; and warning that interruption of supply of either of these items could leave the American industrial base and food supply vulnerable to hostile foreign actors.
White House spokesman Kush Desai told The Daily Wire on Thursday afternoon that the order is &#8220;not an endorsement of any product or practice&#8221; but &#8220;strengthens our national security and ends America’s decades-long reliance on foreign imports and supply chains.&#8221; He also emphasized that the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture are currently researching sustainable practices on this front.
Desai described the move as &#8220;America First in action,&#8221; cautioning that &#8220;building modern weapons systems or growing enough food is impossible without elemental phosphorus.&#8221;
But some MAHA advocates, like Culture Apothecary host Alex Clark, say the move is in direct contradiction to Trump&#8217;s campaign promises to &#8220;Make America Healthy Again.&#8221; Clark, who hosts one of the top health and wellness podcasts in the world with over 40 million downloads, argued that Trump campaigned on &#8220;looking into what&#8217;s in our water, what&#8217;s in our air, what&#8217;s in our soil, acknowledging that pesticide usage was making Americans sick.&#8221;
&#8220;It was a key campaign promise,&#8221; said Clark, whose show is part of the Turning Point USA network. &#8220;This new executive order ramping up pesticide use as a form of national defense is the most absurd thing I&#8217;ve ever heard.&#8221;
MAHA advocates who spoke with The Daily Wire argue that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the MAHA movement at large have spent years arguing against toxic chemicals contaminating food supplies — specifically glyphosate. A recently released White House-commissioned Make America Healthy Again report states that the <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/MAHA-Report-The-White-House.pdf">chemical contains</a> &#8220;a range of possible health effects, ranging from reproductive and developmental disorders as well as cancers, liver inflammation and metabolic disturbances.&#8221;
However, in a statement on Thursday, Kennedy argued that the order &#8220;puts America first where it matters most — our defense readiness and our food supply,&#8221; saying: &#8220;We must safeguard America’s national security first, because all of our priorities depend on it. When hostile actors control critical inputs, they weaken our security. By expanding domestic production, we close that gap and protect American families.”
Michaela Bardossas, a nutritionist and member of the Moms Across America team, told The Daily Wire that calling glyphosate &#8220;critical to U.S. national security&#8221; is &#8220;a stunning slap in the face to the Make America Healthy Again movement and to families who are rightfully, deeply concerned about chronic disease, cancer, and infertility.&#8221;
&#8220;If we’re talking about national security, we should be talking about the reproductive crisis,&#8221; she argues. &#8220;Roughly 1 in 6 couples now struggle to conceive. Sperm counts in the U.S. have declined by about 50% over the past 50 years, continuing to drop by roughly 1% per year. This is a public-health emergency.&#8221;
Glyphosate has become so pervasive, she said, that Moms Across America <a href="https://www.momsacrossamerica.com/glyphosate_in_childhood_vaccines">has detected levels</a> &#8220;far above levels known to cause harm to our health in a wide range of products including vaccines.&#8221;
&#8220;For thousands of years, we farmed without glyphosate. Framing dependence on a relatively new herbicide as essential to national defense, while fertility rates fall below replacement, cancer rates soar, and families struggle to conceive, raises serious questions about what we truly consider a security priority.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_1046525" style="width: 877px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/maha-moms-are-absolutely-furious-trump-protected-this-forever-chemical/us-politics-trump-maha" rel="attachment wp-att-1046525"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1046525" class="wp-image-1046525 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2215809088-867x576.jpg" alt="" width="867" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2215809088-867x576.jpg 867w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2215809088-300x199.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2215809088-768x510.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2215809088.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 867px) 100vw, 867px" /></a>President Donald Trump during a MAHA Commission event (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP) (Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)</div>
&#8220;We are talking about a chemical that is contributing to our skyrocketing rates of infertility, that is creating genital malformations in little boys in the womb, that is crossing the blood-brain barrier and causing neurological issues. How is that going to strengthen our national defense?&#8221;
Clark has been aggressively pushing back against the executive order on X, highlighting Kennedy&#8217;s former social media post on glyphosate in which Kennedy called the chemical &#8220;one of the likely culprits in America’s chronic disease epidemic.&#8221;
&#8220;Much more widely used here than in Europe,&#8221; he <a href="https://x.com/RobertKennedyJr/status/1801761337783238948">tweeted in June 2024 on the campaign trail</a>. &#8220;Shockingly, much of our exposure comes from its use as a desiccant on wheat, not as an herbicide. From there it goes straight into our bodies. My USDA will ban that practice.&#8221;
Clark shared Thursday that the MAHA moms that she knows are &#8220;absolutely furious, disheartened, and are unsure if they&#8217;re going to vote at all now in the midterms.&#8221; And she believes that this kind of policy spells doom for Republicans in the midterms.
&#8220;This group of women was crucial to 2024 and they will be crucial to winning 2026,&#8221; Clark emphasized. &#8220;Not only are we wanting to court these women to keep voting for the GOP for 2026 but we want these women to vote for us in 2028. We need these women to vote for Vance. We need the MAHA movement to keep winning. And we just backstabbed them. For the life of me, I don&#8217;t understand the long-term play of this.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Where do AG lobbyists fit into the gold standard of science?
— Alex Clark (@yoalexrapz) <a href="https://twitter.com/yoalexrapz/status/2024507150836416881?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
Zen Honeycutt, also of Moms Across America, has serious concerns that promoting glyphosate in this manner will only worsen autism rates.
&#8220;The autism epidemic will only get worse with glyphosate in our food and vaccines,&#8221; she said.
&#8220;What is tragic about Trump&#8217;s EO to secure glyphosate as a national security concern is that he promised his friends to find the reason for the autism epidemic, and we know it’s important to him to keep his word,&#8221; Honeycutt said. &#8220;He just made one of the major contributing factors of autism, glyphosate, which has been found in childhood vaccines in two batches of tests by separate labs, a government-supported asset.&#8221;
&#8220;America has just one domestic producer of phosphorus, and President Trump’s executive order safeguards our national security and food supply by addressing our precarious foreign reliance for this key input,&#8221; Desai, the White House spokesman, said. &#8220;At the same time, HHS and USDA are pursuing more research into sustainable agricultural practices, including new crop protection tools. President Trump pledged to protect our country and Make America Healthy Again, and this Administration will never compromise on either priority.”
Maija Hahn, the vice president of REACTforHope.org, an organization that supports families affected by autism and other neurodevelopment disorders, is incredibly grateful to Trump for his &#8220;willingness to confront the chronic disease crisis&#8221; and for working with RFK Jr. to address health challenges.
That&#8217;s why, she says, this decision &#8220;feels so concerning and confusing to many families like mine.&#8221;
&#8220;It appears to move in the opposite direction of the goal to reduce harmful exposures and improve the health trajectory of the next generation,&#8221; she told The Daily Wire. &#8220;We hope this executive action can include safeguards, transparency, and clear goals to ultimately end glyphosate dependency while protecting our food supply.&#8221;
Families with autistic members are already sensitive to policies that could increase widespread environmental exposures, Hahn says, particularly because parents are &#8220;already exhausted and financially overwhelmed trying to minimize cumulative toxic burdens affecting their child’s health.&#8221;
&#8220;When industry stability becomes the priority during periods of legal pressure and public concern, history shows that exposure often expands and chronic health conditions skyrocket,&#8221; she said.
Hahn would far rather see the government working alongside American farmers to transition to healthier soil, diversified weed management, and safer food production that reduces reliance on controversial chemicals, rather than reinforcing dependency on these chemicals.
&#8220;Protecting public health and supporting agricultural resilience do not have to be competing goals,&#8221; she said.
Like Clark, Hahn fears that these types of actions could affect how Americans vote in the midterm elections.
&#8220;MAHA voters supported a vision of restoring health in America,&#8221; she says. &#8220;If policies are perceived as repeating past patterns where industry concerns outweigh health concerns, there is a real risk of losing trust among the very communities that supported reform. As a nation, we should come together to reduce dependency on glyphosate, support farmers through transition, and prioritize the long-term health of our children.”
A White House official pushed back on the notion that the Trump administration was betraying the president&#8217;s campaign promise, pointing out that the White House has taken many steps to improve food safety and expand research into sustainable agriculture practices. That includes launching a &#8220;Regenerative Agriculture Pilot Program&#8221; to lower farmer production costs, the EPA&#8217;s &#8220;Path Forward on Chemical Reviews Under TSCA&#8221; to improve chemical reviews and protect against chemical exposures, as well as the EPA&#8217;s proposed revised processes for conducting chemical risk evaluations.
&#8220;The reality is,&#8221; the White House official told The Daily Wire, &#8220;this is not a binary choice between having glyphosate or not at this juncture of time.&#8221;

US-POLITICS-TRUMP

MAHA Moms Are ‘Absolutely Furious’ Trump Protected This Forever Chemical

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — While Tennessee leads the nation in many ways, it often ranks as one of the unhealthiest states in the country. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tennessee Republican leadership hope to address that issue within the boundaries of traditional American liberty. 
Kennedy stopped by the Tennessee state capitol on Wednesday for a meeting with Governor Bill Lee and other GOP leadership as part of his Take Back Your Health tour. During his speech, Kennedy spoke about various initiatives the Trump administration had launched to invest in rural health care, remove harmful additives from food, increase pricing transparency, and study the dramatic increase in autism. 
“President Trump told me that [he] wants to make the American public, every patient, the CEO of their own healthcare [so] that you can make good decisions and that you’ll have access to your own information,” Kennedy said. 
Kennedy’s speech was given in the old chambers of the Tennessee Supreme Court to a packed crowd of lawmakers and invited guests. He received a warm welcome from the crowd, but was met with a few hecklers outside the room who were upset about some of Kennedy’s positions on vaccines. 
<div id="attachment_1038869" style="width: 2570px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1038869" class="size-full wp-image-1038869" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/PXL_20260204_174719331.TS-000-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1928" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/PXL_20260204_174719331.TS-000-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/PXL_20260204_174719331.TS-000-300x226.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/PXL_20260204_174719331.TS-000-765x576.jpg 765w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/PXL_20260204_174719331.TS-000-768x578.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/PXL_20260204_174719331.TS-000-1536x1157.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/PXL_20260204_174719331.TS-000-2048x1542.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />Kennedy in Nashville: Daily Wire.</div>
Kennedy was introduced by state GOP leadership that included Lee and Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin).
“Tennessee is leading the nation in many ways, and there’s a lot of things we can brag about. But when we’re doing that, you should also acknowledge areas where we need to do better. And one of those is with regards to our health outcomes,” Johnson said, noting that the Volunteer State had comparatively high rates of infant mortality, obesity, and diabetes 
According to HHS, Tennessee <a href="https://mchb.tvisdata.hrsa.gov/Narratives/Overview/fc0324d9-ccb8-42a7-b333-66546446cc61">ranks</a> 44th in the nation in terms of overall health due to drug overdoses, chronic health problems, smoking, physical inactivity, premature death, obesity, and preventable hospitalizations. 
Part of reversing this trend is eating better food, one of the reasons why Kennedy’s HHS <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/rfk-flips-the-food-pyramid-and-announces-massive-changes-to-dietary-guidelines">flipped</a> the food pyramid last month to recommend whole foods, prioritizing healthy fats and protein, and limiting or avoiding ultra-processed foods.
“Our job is not to tell Americans what to eat. It’s to tell them what’s good for them and to give them good information. If you want to drink a Coca-Cola or eat a Krispy Kreme donut, you live in America, you ought to be able to do that. But we’re going to tell you what the cost is. It seems cheap at the grocery store but the long term costs may not be worth it,” Kennedy said Wednesday. 
Kennedy said that the government spends about $405 million per day to subsidize meals through school lunch programs, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and other government programs. Kennedy said that raising the standard for the food paid for in these programs would &#8220;transform&#8221; the quality of the food the people were getting through the programs and help the farmers produce &#8220;real food.&#8221;
Rep. Bryan Terry, the chair of the Tennessee House Health Committee, told The Daily Wire that sometimes poor health outcomes were the result of bad choices. 
“In Tennessee, we’re not banning Big Gulps,” he said, noting that Tennesseans value individual liberty and that “sometimes that liberty that you have leads to bad choices.&#8221;
But that doesn’t mean the government will fund unhealthy decisions. In December, Lee led Tennessee to join a handful of other states that ban Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients from using the money given to them by the government to buy soda, energy drinks, and candy.

Presidential Candidate Robert F. Kennedy Delivers Remarks In Phoenix, Arizona

RFK Tells Tennessee Lawmakers Trump Will ‘Transform’ The Health Of The Nation

RFK Makes MAHA Stop In Tennessee, Says Trump Reforms Will 'Transform' The Nation

Nashville

Tennessee

A major medical association said Tuesday that it does not support transgender surgeries on those under the age of 19, drawing praise from the Trump administration.
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) <a href="https://www.plasticsurgery.org/documents/health-policy/positions/2026-gender-surgery-children-adolescents.pdf">released</a> a position statement saying that the available evidence did not support genital procedures or removing the breasts of young girls who identify as boys. The society also said there was “insufficient” support for placing kids on puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones.
“In light of recent publications reporting very low/low certainty of evidence regarding mental health outcomes, along with emerging concerns about potential long-term harms and the irreversible nature of surgical interventions in a developmentally vulnerable population, ASPS concludes there is insufficient evidence demonstrating a favorable risk-benefit ratio for the pathway of gender-related endocrine and surgical interventions in children and adolescents,” the society said in its position statement. “ASPS recommends that surgeons delay gender-related breast/chest, genital, and facial surgery until a patient is at least 19 years old.”
The position statement, in part, cited a review from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which found there was no support for transgender procedures on minors.
“These reviews have not resolved earlier uncertainties regarding treatment benefit; in some areas they have contributed to a clearer understanding of potential harms, while also highlighting limitations of the available evidence, including gaps in documenting long-term physical, psychological, and psychosocial outcomes,” the position statement said.
The Trump administration has fought hard to shield kids from transgender procedures and has looked to cut off all government funding for hospitals that perform the procedures.
“We commend the American Society of Plastic Surgeons for standing up to the overmedicalization lobby and defending sound science,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said. “By taking this stand, they are helping protect future generations of American children from irreversible harm.”
Dr. Stanley Goldfarb, the chair of Do No Harm, praised the society for its statement, saying that it was the first major medical society to disavow the procedures for kids.
“High praise to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons for taking an important step toward ending the unscientific and harmful practice of sex-rejecting procedures on minors,” he said. “The ASPS’s thoughtful, scientific, and well-reasoned statement today is a model for other medical organizations—namely the Endocrine Society, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and others—to follow and disavow their previous support for experimental and unscientific interventions. This fight is not over, and we will continue to protect American children by exposing any organization that spreads gender lies.”
Over two dozen states have passed laws protecting kids from transgender surgeries and life-altering cross-sex hormones. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons said it believes that “the regulation of medical care is best achieved through professional self-regulation, rather than criminal law or punitive legislative approaches.”

Democratic Presidential Candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Delivers Address To Jewish Community In New York

‘This Fight Is Not Over’: Major Medical Org Rejects Transgender Surgeries For Kids

Medical

Plastic Surgery

Social Issues

U.S.

Hundreds of measles cases have been confirmed in South Carolina, surpassing the number of infections from an outbreak in West Texas this past summer.
<p class="paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate" data-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/cmkwxk87q00043b6s5tm6zaeg@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-article-gutter="true">As of Tuesday, 789 cases were reported in South Carolina. So far, 18 people, including children, have been hospitalized for complications from the disease. No deaths have been reported.
<p class="paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph_elevate" data-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/cmkwxk87q00043b6s5tm6zaeg@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-article-gutter="true">At the height of the Texas outbreak, 762 cases were reported. That outbreak, which was tied to two deaths of school-aged children, was declared <a href="https://www.dshs.texas.gov/news-alerts/texas-announces-end-west-texas-measles-outbreak?utm_source=chatgpt.com">over</a> back in August.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/27/health/largest-us-measles-outbreak-south-carolina">supporting</a> South Carolina&#8217;s response to the outbreak by providing $1.4 million in requested aid. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is also working closely and regularly with state health officials.
The vast majority of those infected in South Carolina — an estimated 88% — are unvaccinated against measles. In Texas, too, the vast majority of those infected were unvaccinated or had no documented measles vaccination: more than 94%.
The surge in cases in numerous states has sparked outcry from some advocacy groups, who are blaming HHS and its leader, Secretary Robert F. Kennedy.
Protect Our Care, for example, projected “MEASLES HQ&#8221; on the D.C. HHS building on Tuesday, <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5698149-protect-our-care-protests-kennedy/">according</a> to The Hill. Another message said, &#8220;RFK JR: MAKING AMERICA SICK AGAIN.&#8221;
Notably, however, the CDC still recommends children receive the measles vaccine as part of the routine childhood immunization schedule. The immunization comes in the form of the MMR shot, which protects against measles, mumps, and rubella.
“Under Secretary Kennedy, CDC surged resources, and multiple states declared measles outbreaks over in 2025,&#8221; HHS Press Secretary Emily Hilliard <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5698149-protect-our-care-protests-kennedy/">said</a> in a statement. &#8220;Vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent measles, and the Secretary has been clear and consistent on this point. All vaccines on the CDC schedule, including MMR, remain covered by insurance, so families do not need to pay out of pocket to get vaccinated.&#8221;
&#8220;Additionally, the U.S. continues to fare better than Canada, Mexico, and Europe in overall measles burden,&#8221; she added. &#8220;This is an international problem.&#8221;
The decline in overall vaccination rates predates the Trump administration, and that&#8217;s due to the botched job of public health officials during the COVID pandemic, Hilliard argued.
“Declines in measles vaccination rates and erosion of public trust began well before this Administration,&#8221; she said. &#8220;Public confidence in health institutions was significantly undermined during the COVID era, particularly in states that imposed prolonged mandates and delivered inconsistent messaging. Those effects continue to be felt today.”
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/rfk-jr-orders-major-overhaul-of-childhood-vaccine-schedule-heres-what-to-know?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=RFK+Jr.+Orders+Major+Overhaul+Of+Childhood+Vaccine+Schedule">RFK Jr. Orders Major Overhaul Of Childhood Vaccine Schedule</a>

One Death Reported As Texas Measles Outbreak Spreads

Health And Human Services Responds As Hundreds Of Measles Cases Confirmed In South Carolina

Disease

Measles

South Carolina

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