The Brett Cooper Show

Episode 134: "Big Chemical Is Sabotaging MAHA"

Date: February 13, 2026
Host: Brett Cooper

Overview

In this episode, Brett Cooper critically examines how "Big Chemical" interests are undermining the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement—one of the defining aspects of Trump’s second term. The discussion centers on legislative maneuvering by chemical companies and their lobbyists, particularly their attempts to secure legal immunity from lawsuits over harmful chemicals and pesticides. Brett exposes the erosion of state rights, the pervasiveness of chemical lobbyists within regulatory agencies, and the importance of public vigilance and activism to sustain MAHA’s original mission for healthier policies and accountability.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

MAHA’s Year-One Achievements—and the Backlash

• MAHA accomplishments include:
  • Banning petroleum-based dyes in food
  • Increase in heavy metal testing for infant formula
  • First-ever national ban on adding fluoride to public water
  • Stricter regulations on food additives in public schools (with a jab at Michelle Obama's earlier initiatives)
  • Restricting SNAP benefits from purchasing soda and processed foods
  • Adoption of AI models over animal testing in medical research
  • Safety reviews and upheaval of outdated nutrition guidelines
  • Reduced childhood vaccine recommendations
• Quote:

  "We are a year into Trump’s second term and I truly believe that in many ways Make America Healthy Again, or MAHA, will be what Trump 2.0 is remembered for."
  — Brett Cooper [00:00]

• Reality Check:
  Brett cautions that the fight is far from over, as major chemical industry actors have been moving to undermine MAHA reforms at every level of government.

Legislative Sabotage: Section 453 and the "Liability Shield"

• Buried Provision:
  Section 453, hidden in the 20,000-page House Appropriations Bill, sought to limit state/local authority on pesticide regulation and shield manufacturers from lawsuits.
• Implications:
  • Would prevent the EPA from updating pesticide warnings in a timely manner (EPA reviews safety only every 15 years)
  • Prioritizes chemical corporations over public safety
• Public Manipulation:

  "They are expecting that Americans are not going to pay attention... It is shady, it is gross, it is completely dishonest."
  — Brett Cooper [02:31]

• Bipartisan Betrayal:
  The primary support came from Republicans in Congress, not Trump himself.
  • Clip from Alex Clark’s 'Culture Apothecary':

    "Not so much President Trump, but the Republicans in Congress are working very hard right now to give immunity to chemical manufacturers... This is exactly what happened with vaccine companies, and we saw how that worked out."
    — Alex Clark (paraphrased by Brett) [03:02]

• Outcome:
  Due to public outrage, Section 453 was removed—a rare win thanks to grassroots activism.
• Quote:

  "Thanks to outrage from Americans and big advocates, the provision was inevitably removed from the funding bill, which I was really happy to see."
  — Brett Cooper [04:19]

The Bayer/Monsanto Conflict of Interest

• Corporate Ties:
  • Bayer, a pharmaceutical giant with cancer drugs, acquired Monsanto (maker of Roundup, whose ingredient glyphosate is linked to cancer).
• Ethical Dilemma:

  "A pharmaceutical company that makes cancer drugs bought a company whose main product is linked to cancer... Do you see the connection there?"
  — Brett Cooper [05:00]

• Systemic Issue:
  Pharmaceutical/chemical companies profit on both sides of the disease equation: causing illnesses and selling treatments.

Lobbyists Inside the System and Ongoing Legislative Assaults

• Industry Infiltration:
  • CropLife America and other lobby groups for Bayer and Syngenta have filled government roles with former lobbyists.
  • Numerous ongoing efforts at the state level to establish liability shields for chemical companies (succeeding in North Dakota, Georgia).
• Wider Problem:
  • “Cancer Alley” in Louisiana and high cancer rates in agricultural states may be linked to pesticide exposure.
  • Politicians often deflect with explanations like poverty or racism, ignoring chemical exposure as a culprit.
• Quote:

  "These lobbyists who work on behalf of those chemical corporations who are now embedded in the Trump administration... are funding and pressuring our representatives to strip away some of the only ways that we have to hold those companies accountable."
  — Brett Cooper [11:30]

State Activism & Public Testing

• Positive Example: Florida
  • Testing of bread products revealed alarming glyphosate levels in major brands (Wonder, Nature’s Own, Dave’s Killer Bread, etc.)—not just affecting rural/agricultural Americans.
  • Even those who eat organic are not necessarily safe from chemical exposure, as shown by Alex Clark’s personal glyphosate test results.
• Activism Makes a Difference:
  • In Tennessee, citizen pressure paused the passage of another chemical industry shield bill.
  • Quote:

    "Thanks to 20,000 emails, thousands of phone calls... that bill has been paused. It did not make it through the judiciary hearing."
    — Brett Cooper [13:46]

Supreme Court & the National Stakes

• Monsanto v. Durnel:
  Supreme Court to decide whether EPA-approved labels shield chemical companies from state lawsuits ("failure to warn").
• Critical Issue:
  • EPA safety reviews are infrequent and rely on company-submitted data—conflict of interest potential is high.
  • Federal preemption could wipe out state-level consumer protections and accountability.
• Quote:

  "They’re not even fighting the fact that it causes cancer... They just want us to stop talking about it and stop holding them accountable. Let that sink in."
  — Brett Cooper [17:42]

• Potential Aftermath:
  If Bayer/Monsanto win, state protections evaporate—rendering state-level victories moot.

Call to Action

• MAHA’s Mission Unfinished:
  Brett urges listeners to stay engaged, informed, and active—especially in local elections—to maintain pressure on lawmakers and preserve the original promise of MAHA.
• Quote:

  "We should not be deterred; we should not be distracted from what still needs to be done... We have not even scratched the surface on this issue, and we need to hold our elected officials accountable."
  — Brett Cooper [21:16]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Hidden Legislation:

  "It is shady, it is gross, it is completely dishonest. But we did catch on."
  — Brett Cooper [02:48]

• On State Activism:

  "You should also pay attention because of things like this."
  — Brett Cooper [13:20]

• On Corporate Double Standard:

  "The same company that is in the business of making us healthy is also in the business of making us sick."
  — Brett Cooper [05:25]

• On Public Vigilance:

  "We should not be deterred; we should not be distracted from what still needs to be done."
  — Brett Cooper [21:16]

Key Timestamps

• 00:00 – 03:00: MAHA’s first-year wins and emerging threats
• 03:00 – 04:30: Section 453 and the hidden legislative threat
• 05:00 – 06:00: Bayer/Monsanto’s conflict of interest highlighted
• 10:45 – 14:00: Lobbyist infiltration and state-level shield laws
• 15:00 – 16:30: Testing of bread for glyphosate and exposure risks
• 18:00 – 21:16: Supreme Court challenge, need for vigilance & call to action

Conclusion

Brett Cooper’s episode is a clarion call for Americans to stay vigilant as the MAHA movement faces new and sophisticated attacks from the chemical lobby. The episode underscores the persistent influence of industry insiders, the vulnerability of both national and local protections, and the vital power of public action to push back against corporate overreach. Brett’s tone is urgent, passionate, and skeptical of official narratives, emphasizing that only persistent civic engagement can keep the promise of a healthier America alive.