The Make America Healthy Again movement is united with President Donald Trump’s MAGA base in the crucial midterm election campaign, a senior White House adviser said.
“Even people who have been critical of the administration, they’re all for this administration. … There’s an alternative here. The Democrats haven’t lifted a finger on these issues,” Kelly Means said at POLITICO’s health care summit on Tuesday.
He said, “If we can consolidate this MAHA movement into MAGA and the political system… then the country will be in a good place.”
Means’ support for the coalition comes as the Trump administration realigns its messaging on MHA to focus on popular agenda items like nutrition and Trump’s efforts to lower drug prices. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. plans to tour key battleground states later this year to promote his MHA agenda and drum up support for the Republican Party.
Leaders of the MAHA movement have pledged millions to help elect MAHA-friendly Republicans in the upcoming election, which will shape Trump’s remaining years in office. The MAHA Political Action Committee, whose mission is to “elect Republicans to the House and Senate in 2026” who will support the MAHA agenda, has committed $100 million to the effort.
MAHA supporters have clashed with the Trump administration over recent actions related to pesticides. In February, the White House signed an executive order to boost production of glyphosate, commonly known as Roundup. The ban on glyphosate has been a major priority for the MAHA movement, and Trump’s order highlights the underlying tensions within the MAHA-MAGA alliance.
Means defended the recent order on glyphosate and said the administration is working in “lockstep” with Kennedy on the policy. “There will inevitably be ups and downs. … We are talking to MHA lawyers about this. We cannot do anything right now that will make life difficult for farmers,” he said.
The White House extended an olive branch to MHA advocates, meeting with key influencers earlier this month","Add":{"Target": :"New","Property":(),"url": :"https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-palse/2026/04/10/white-house-extends-olive-branch-to-maha-00866013","_Identification": :"0000019d-b151-d084-a1bd-fff753ef0000","_Type": :"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_Identification": :"0000019d-b151-d084-a1bd-fff753ef0001","_Type": :"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}”>major influencerThat includes Kelly Ryerson, known as the “glyphosate girl,” and Alex Clark, who runs a wellness podcast associated with Turning Point USA, the conservative organization founded by Charlie Kirk.
Some of Kennedy’s most vocal supporters have also recently taken issue with Trump’s nomination of Erica Schwartz to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Schwartz, who served at the Health Department in Trump’s first term and is not known for questioning vaccines, was seen as an establishment choice for the post.
Means supported Schwartz’s nomination for CDC, but also issued support for the administration’s controversial changes to the country’s vaccine policies.
“We are not apologizing for what happened with the vaccine,” he said.
Casey Means, sister of Kelly Means, faces an uphill battle to get Trump’s pick for surgeon general confirmed. Casey Means was pressed by senators from both parties on her views on vaccines during her nomination hearing in February and lacked the votes for confirmation.
At Politico’s summit, Kelly Means reiterated that her sister was MAHA’s choice for the position.
“I don’t think this is the right time to defend the status quo,” he said. “Casey is the best possible lawyer at this critical moment.”
