A $5 Million Donation From Big Tobacco Preceded F.D.A. Vape Decision

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: New York Times

A $5 Million Donation From Big Tobacco Preceded F.D.A. Vape Decision

Reynolds American's contribution to MAGA Inc. came about one week before the Trump administration announced a new policy on e-cigarettes the company had sought.


The F.D.A. has issued new guidance that could pave the way for major tobacco companies including Reynolds American to begin selling flavored vapes. Stephanie Keith/Getty Images

By Kenneth P. Vogel and Christina Jewett
Kenneth P. Vogel and Christina Jewett have covered special interest lobbying to shape government policies related to health care and public safety.
May 20, 2026

The tobacco company Reynolds American donated $5 million to a super PAC backed by President Trump last month, about one week before his administration rolled out a new policy that could prove lucrative to the tobacco industry. ... The donation, which came through a Reynolds subsidiary and brings to $8 million the total donated by the subsidiary to MAGA Inc., the Trump-backed super PAC, was revealed in a campaign finance report filed Wednesday night.

The donation came on April 30. ... Two days later, a top executive at Reynolds and two lobbyists who represent the company had lunch with Mr. Trump at his golf club in Jupiter, Fla. Also attending were two executives from Altria, another tobacco company. ... At the lunch, the tobacco industry representatives expressed dissatisfaction with the way the Food and Drug Administration was regulating the industry, as The New York Times reported last week.

Mr. Trump interrupted the conversation to call Dr. Marty Makary, the F.D.A. commissioner. ... When Mr. Makary did not answer, the president dialed Dr. Makary's boss, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and another top health official, Dr. Mehmet Oz, the head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. ... The president complained to the men about the F.D.A.'s regulation of e-cigarettes, according to three people briefed on the meeting who were not authorized to discuss it.

Less than one week later, the F.D.A. issued new guidance that could pave the way for major tobacco companies to begin selling flavored vapes and to snare a chunk of the $6 billion e-cigarette market away from illegal Chinese competitors.

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Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/20/us/politics/donation-big-tobacco-vaping.html

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https://www.nytimes.com/by/kenneth-p-vogel
https://www.nytimes.com/by/christina-jewett

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Ron Filipkowski
‪@ronfilipkowski.bsky.social‬

MAHA was just another con. The corruption of the Trump admin is absolutely staggering.


5:33 AM · May 21, 2026
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MAHA was just another con. The corruption of the Trump admin is absolutely staggering.

— Ron Filipkowski (@ronfilipkowski.bsky.social) 2026-05-21T09:33:45.312Z