US Policy Shift Intensifies Bayer’s Roundup Legal Battle

The Trump administration has reversed the previous US government’s stance by backing Bayer in ongoing litigation over its weedkiller Roundup, transforming a long-running legal dispute into a political flashpoint. Nearly 200,000 lawsuits have been filed in the US alleging that Roundup’s active ingredient, glyphosate, caused cancer, particularly non-Hodgkin lymphoma, following prolonged exposure.

Under former President Joe Biden, the Justice Department supported plaintiffs’ rights to sue Bayer under state laws, arguing that federal pesticide regulations do not preempt state-level consumer protection claims. However, the current administration has urged the US Supreme Court to limit such lawsuits, siding with Bayer’s argument that federal law should override state actions.

Bayer, which acquired Roundup through its $63 billion purchase of Monsanto in 2018, has already paid about $10 billion to settle claims and set aside additional funds. The Supreme Court’s decision on whether to hear the case could shape future liability, corporate accountability, and consumer rights nationwide.

30-12-2025