How Corporate Lobbying Sabotaged a US Health Initiative Under Trump

A new study has exposed how powerful industries undermined a US health initiative during the Trump presidency. The research, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, reveals that fossil fuel, chemical, and ultraprocessed food companies blocked efforts to regulate harmful substances. One key failure was the lack of action on pesticides like glyphosate under the administration's Make America Healthy Again commission.

The findings come from an analysis of internal industry documents, obtained through lawsuits and public records requests. Researchers tracked how these sectors adopted tactics first used by the tobacco industry to avoid stricter rules.

The study was led by scientists from the Center to End Corporate Harm, a collaboration between Stanford University, the University of Sydney, and the University of California, San Francisco. They examined records from the UCSF Industry Documents Library, a public archive of corporate files uncovered via legal battles and freedom of information laws.

According to the research, the Trump administration's health commission failed to address major risks linked to pesticides, processed foods, and industrial pollution. The authors found that companies followed a long-standing playbook—originally developed by tobacco firms—to downplay health risks and delay regulation. While the study highlights systemic interference, it notes that specific details on lobbying tactics or direct influence remain undocumented in public archives. The report does not provide concrete examples of how individual industries shaped policy. However, it concludes that the pattern of obstruction mirrors past campaigns by tobacco companies to protect profits at the expense of public health.

The findings suggest that corporate influence weakened efforts to tackle chronic diseases during Trump's term. Without stronger safeguards, the study warns, industries will continue to exploit regulatory gaps. Researchers have called for greater transparency to prevent similar interference in future health policies.