How Trump Makes us Sicker a cartoon of a man and a woman sitting at a table outside, a Taco Bell in the background. They are turning green, sick, holding their stomachs. looking like they might puke. More than 24,500 Americans have been sickened this year by cyclospora, a parasite that causes explosive diarrhea, cramps, and dehydration. The source of the bug was iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell that came from a Taylor Farms plant in Mexico. But it took nearly two weeks to nail that down. Why did it take so long? A federal rule created in 2011 would have allowed investigators to get the information overnight, and far fewer people would have gotten sick. But the Trump administration delayed implementation of that rule until mid-2028. Beyond that, Republicans in congress barred the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from spending a dime to enforce it. Trump also cut back a program that tracked cyclospora, and his FDA fired staff who supported inspections. Foreign food inspections last year hit a 15-year low. These cuts and delays mean more sick and dead Americans. Trump is bad news for America in all kinds of ways, but one of the worst is he makes us a sicker, more vulnerable nation.