President Donald Trump is attempting to make U.S. Coca-Cola Mexican again by pushing the beverage company to use real cane sugar, saying, “It’s just better.”
Trump announced on Truth Social on Wednesday, “I have been speaking to Coca-Cola about using REAL Cane Sugar in Coke in the United States, and they have agreed to do so. I’d like to thank all of those in authority at Coca-Cola. This will be a very good move by them — You’ll see. It’s just better!”
Coca-Cola in the U.S. is typically made with high-fructose corn syrup, while the company uses cane sugar in other countries, such as Mexico.
In a statement, a Coca-Cola representative said, “We appreciate President Trump’s enthusiasm for our iconic Coca‑Cola brand. More details on new innovative offerings within our Coca‑Cola product range will be shared soon.”
It comes as the Trump administration works to “Make America Healthy Again,” a phrase used by Robert F. Kennedy’s Health and Human Services Department, that alludes to the president’s “Make America Great Again” campaign slogan.
Part of the so-called “Make America Healthy Again” initiative is to end “America’s epidemic of chronic illness by focusing on safe, wholesome food, clean water, and the elimination of environmental toxins,” according to a March press release from HHS.
While it’s claimed high-fructose corn syrup is more harmful than other sugars, a Healthline article last updated in December 2023 said high-fructose corn syrup and regular table sugar have similar effects on a person’s health, and both are harmful when consumed excessively.
Trump is known for his affinity for Diet Coke, which is made with the artificial sweetener aspartame. In January, Coca-Cola presented Trump with a commemorative Diet Coke bottle.
In reaction to Trump’s Coca-Cola announcement, California Governor Gavin Newsom, who has sparred with Trump most recently over his crackdown on Los Angeles protesters against immigration raids, wrote on X Wednesday, “Oh thank god! I’ve totally forgotten about the Epstein files now!”
Newsom was referring to documents related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein that the Trump administration vowed to release. Earlier this month, the feds changed their tune, saying there was no suspected client list of powerful people who had partaken in Epstein’s crimes.
Not only may your soda taste different soon but your ice cream may as well.
Kennedy intends for the Food and Drug Administration to phase out the use of petroleum-based synthetic dyes in the nation’s food supply.
As a result, a group of 40 ice cream producers, including Turkey Hill and Schwoeppe Dairy, have pledged to remove Red No. 3, Red 40, Green 3, Blue 1, Blue 2, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 by the end of 2027, according to the International Dairy Foods Association. The group accounts for more than 90 percent of the ice cream sold in the U.S.