Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s effort to overhaul U.S. infant formula standards is unlikely to adopt some of the more controversial priorities championed by "Make America Healthy Again" activists, according to a Wall Street Journal report published Tuesday.
The Trump administration is not expected to pursue calls to remove seed oils from infant formula — one of the movement's key demands — as federal regulators confront the scientific and practical complexities of revising rules governing one of the most tightly regulated segments of the food industry.
Kennedy launched "Operation Stork Speed" in May 2025, describing it as the first comprehensive federal review of baby formula regulations in decades.
The initiative followed a White House meeting in which Kennedy questioned executives about ingredients, including seed oils and heavy metals, and pressed for comparisons between U.S. and European standards.
The review triggered a burst of activity last year, including meetings between industry and regulators, a June FDA panel of scientists and pediatricians, and a 120-day public comment period that drew hundreds of submissions.
The FDA is expected to release results this spring, including an April study examining contaminants in formula.
Kennedy has argued that the current list of required nutrients, largely unchanged for about 30 years, is outdated and not grounded in modern science.
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary echoed concerns voiced by some parents, saying many want formula without seed oils, corn syrup, added sugar, arsenic, or lead.
But formula manufacturers and many pediatric experts caution that sweeping changes not firmly rooted in scientific consensus could carry unintended consequences.
Seed oils, for example, are used to provide essential fatty acids, such as linoleic acid, which is also found in breast milk, and are widely regarded by doctors as safe.
European formulas also use seed oils, complicating claims that U.S. standards lag behind.
At the same time, there is broad agreement that some regulatory updates are warranted.
Infant formula is the sole or primary source of nutrition for many babies during their first year of life.
A Consumer Reports analysis last year found detectable levels of contaminants, including arsenic, lead and PFAS, in about half of sampled powdered formulas.
But physicians note that trace amounts of such substances are common in many foods and that stricter FDA thresholds adopted in 2023 have increased detections.
Operation Stork Speed fits into Kennedy's broader campaign to remake the U.S. food and health landscape by tightening oversight of ingredients and addressing chronic disease — an agenda that has seen some early momentum but also resistance from industry and scientific groups wary of politically driven mandates.
Recent formula recalls have added urgency to the review. Nestle and Danone expanded recalls in Europe over bacterial concerns, and U.S.-based ByHeart recalled products last fall following a multistate botulism outbreak.
Despite initial fanfare, some advisers and pediatric experts involved in the process told the Journal that communication from the administration has slowed in recent months. An HHS spokesman told the outlet the initiative remains a top priority and that updates will be shared as they become available.
As the FDA prepares to release its findings, "Operation Stork Speed" has become an early test of Kennedy's ability to translate MAHA's political energy into regulatory change while balancing scientific evidence, industry realities, and infant safety.
Newsmax has reached out to HHS for comment.
James Morley III ✉
James Morley III is a writer with more than two decades of experience in entertainment, travel, technology, and science and nature.
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