The coalition behind Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement is showing signs of strain as the 2026 midterm elections approach, with some leaders distancing themselves from both Kennedy and the Republican Party. Initially a broad alliance of alternative health advocates, environmentalists, and anti-vaccine activists, MAHA significantly boosted former President Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential victory. Yet several prominent figures within the movement now express frustration with Kennedy’s leadership and question the Republican Party’s commitment to MAHA’s agenda.

Tiffany Cianci, an early MAHA supporter and TikTok influencer, recently criticized the Trump administration for failing to deliver on a range of promises tied to environmental and public health reforms. In October, she released a scorecard evaluating 42 campaign pledges associated with MAHA; it found none fully fulfilled, only five partially kept, and 37 broken. Cianci argued that Republican leaders only "rented" MAHA’s voters and failed to maintain their support through meaningful action.

This disillusionment is echoed by Calley Means, a longtime Kennedy ally and former adviser at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), who resigned in late October. Means cited frustration over “special interest and corporate capture” obstructing progress on combating chronic disease and reforming health-care incentives. Others in the movement voiced shock at policy decisions such as Trump’s executive order to increase glyphosate production—commonly linked to cancer concerns—and the Supreme Court’s refusal to require cancer warning labels on products containing the herbicide.

Food activist Vani Hari, known as the “Food Babe,” criticized the administration for withdrawing a federal definition of “ultra-processed food” that was expected to be announced in August. Hari and other activists contend that despite public commitments and initiatives like voluntary food dye removals, there has been little lasting regulatory change. They argue corporate interests continue to stymie the reforms MAHA advocates sought.

The coalition’s influence still matters: a May 2026 poll found that 41% of U.S. adults support MAHA, and significant majorities express concern about inadequate regulation of chemical additives and pesticides, as well as distrust toward agricultural and pharmaceutical industries. Kennedy, a vocal critic of “Big Food” and “Big Pharma,” has leveraged these sentiments, though confidence in federal agencies such as the FDA and EPA remains low across partisan lines.

Within the political arena, MAHA’s backing is now primarily directed toward Republican candidates, including Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Iowa gubernatorial nominee Zach Lahn, and Representative Anna Paulina Luna of Florida. The MAHA Action PAC has contributed significant funding and is mobilizing volunteers on behalf of these campaigns. Luna highlighted her commitment to addressing chemical exposures impacting children and her willingness to challenge her own party on these issues.

However, some in the movement criticize Kennedy’s political strategy for aligning too closely with Republicans and potentially undermining MAHA’s broader leverage. Elizabeth Kucinich, a former campaign aide to Kennedy, contends the leadership is offering selective narratives that pledge support before voters see results.

Skepticism toward political establishments cuts both ways. While Democrats like New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed have sought to engage MAHA supporters with policy proposals targeting food toxins and environmental health, many MAHA leaders remain wary. Zen Honeycutt, founder of Moms Across America, emphasized the need for specific policy commitments and collaboration with Kennedy to sway MAHA voters, who recall perceived Democratic shortcomings such as vaccine mandates and lax pesticide regulations.

Despite the shifting political alignments, many MAHA supporters maintain their engagement with the movement but demand tangible policy outcomes. Michaela Bardossas, an independent voter from North Carolina who backed Trump in 2024, expressed appreciation for some progress but lamented the lack of urgency on issues like pesticides and certain vaccine policies.

For several MAHA activists, the Trump administration’s intervention in favor of Bayer in the legal battle over glyphosate symbolized a breaking point. Cianci described the move as a “death knell” for the MAHA-Trump alliance, underscoring the fractures now emerging in what was once a potent cross-partisan coalition.