On July 1 the Trump administration wisely put a total ban on three harmful chemical compounds found in many products from kratom–the herbal substance, sold in many U.S. gas stations, convenience stores, and smoke shops. However, three months later the Trump administration made a policy U-turn and eased many restrictions on these same compounds, in circumstances indicating blatant favoritism to investors in it. One of the compounds, MGPI (mitragynine pseudoindoxyl), will now be tolerated at potencies 25 to 500 times the levels currently found on the market. There have already been at least 48 overdose deaths involving MGPI in the United States from February 2025 through May 2026.

According to the New York Times, this U-turn in federal policy began on August 25, “the day David and Maya Gabbay donated nearly $160,000 to the Republican National Committee.” In total, David Gabbay and his wife have given $2.9 million to Republican candidates and campaign committees in 2026. David Gabbay manages kratom wholesaler JOpen, which is facing about a dozen lawsuits alleging harm from its products, including wrongful death suits.

Federal officials deny any quid pro quo. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., abruptly shut down his own Aug. 26 press event in Florida, with U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody, when confronted about his role in easing the restrictions on kratom after receiving roughly $1 million in donations to his MAHA PAC from the kratom company, Botanic Tonics, as reported in People. According to financial disclosures, Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin has up to $1 million invested in this same company, Botanic Tonics, which produces a widely available kratom drink called Feel Free.