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Business Insider
16-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Trump says he made a deal with Coca-Cola. It'd turn all Coke into Mexican Coke.
In a Truth Social post, the president said he'd been working on a deal with the beverage company to use real cane sugar in Coke products in the United States, "and they have agreed to do so." "I'd like to thank all of those in authority at Coca-Cola," Trump wrote in his post. "This will be a very good move by them — You'll see. It's just better!" The CocaCola Company acknowledged in a statement that changes were coming but did not provide additional details. "We appreciate President Trump's enthusiasm for our iconic CocaCola brand," the statement said. "More details on new innovative offerings within our CocaCola product range will be shared soon." The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. Coca-Cola already sells a cane sugar version of its soda in the US, marketed as CocaCola Mexico or, colloquially, Mexican Coke, since many of its sodas sold in Mexico are made with cane sugar. However, most of its products sold in the United States are sweetened with corn syrup,in part because the government heavily subsidizes corn, which makes corn syrup a cheaper option than cane sugar. Coca-Cola's stock didn't respond to Trump's announcement in after-hours trading. Shares for the soda company were at $69.27 at market close. Famously, Trump's drink of choice is Diet Coke, which is made with the artificial sweetener aspartame. The president has frequently been photographed drinking Diet Coke, with The New York Times reporting in 2017 that he drinks a dozen a day. The Trump administration, through its Make America Health Again initiative spearheaded by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has urged companies to remove ingredients such as dyes and preservatives from their formulas. Some companies, like PepsiCo, Nestl, and General Mills, have announced they will remove artificial ingredients and colorings from popular food items by the end of the year.
Business Insider
16-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Trump says he made a deal with Coca-Cola. It'd turn all Coke into Mexican Coke.
President Donald Trump said that Coca-Cola agreed to swap corn syrup for real cane sugar in Coke. Coca-Cola has not commented on or confirmed the president's statement. If the swap is made, US-based Coca-Cola drinks would taste more like Mexican Coke products. President Donald Trump on Wednesday said a "better" version of Coca-Cola products was on its way. In a Truth Social post, the president said he'd been working on a deal with the beverage company to use real cane sugar in Coke products in the United States, "and they have agreed to do so." "I'd like to thank all of those in authority at Coca-Cola," Trump wrote in his post. "This will be a very good move by them — You'll see. It's just better!" The company had not commented on or confirmed the president's statement at the time of publication. Coca-Cola already sells a cane sugar version of its soda in the US, marketed as Coca‑Cola Mexico or, colloquially, Mexican Coke, since many of its sodas sold in Mexico are made with cane sugar. However, most of its products sold in the United States are sweetened with corn syrup. Representatives for Coca-Cola and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider. Coca-Cola's stock didn't respond to Trump's announcement in after-hours trading. Shares for the soda company were at $69.27 at market close. The Trump administration, through its Make America Health Again initiative spearheaded by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has urged companies to remove ingredients such as dyes and preservatives from their formulas. Some companies, like PepsiCo, Nestlé, and General Mills, have announced they will remove artificial ingredients and colorings from popular food items by the end of the year.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Utah SNAP ban on soda gets green light, along with ‘MAHA' waivers for Idaho, Arkansas
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. speaks to reporters during an event at the University of Utah on Monday, April 7, 2025. (Kyle Dunphey/Utah News Dispatch) U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, along with Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., signed three 'Make America Health Again' waivers on Tuesday, allowing three more states to enact restrictions to SNAP benefits. The move adds Utah, Idaho and Arkansas to the list of six states that have banned certain foods from being purchased with benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which is the U.S.'s largest nutrition assistance program. Arkansas approved to ban SNAP recipients from using benefits for soda, candy Utah's waiver prohibits using SNAP benefits to purchase 'soft drinks,' defined as 'a nonalcoholic beverage that is made with carbonated water and that is flavored and sweetened with sugar or artificial sweeteners,' according to HB403, the bill the Utah Legislature passed directing the state's Department of Workforce Services to request the waiver. An earlier version of the bill would have also blocked candy purchases, but Utah lawmakers narrowed its scope before approving the bill. Utah's SNAP restrictions, which will take effect Jan. 1, 2026, don't go as far as other states. Arkansas' waiver restricts SNAP participants from purchasing low- and no-calorie soda, fruit and vegetable drinks with less than 50% natural juice, and other 'unhealthy drinks,' along with 'confectionary products with flour and artificially sweetened candy, the Arkansas Advocate reported. Arkansas' waiver will take effect July 1, 2026. Idaho's waiver excludes soda and candy and will take effect the same day as Arkansas, on July 1. Rollins previously signed SNAP waivers for Nebraska, Iowa, and Indiana. The latest round of SNAP restriction approvals come amid a national movement coined 'Make America Healthy Again,' or MAHA, that's been promoted by U.S. health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. In April, Kennedy stopped in Utah as part of his 'MAHA tour.' During his visit he praised Utah's SNAP ban, along with a slate of other 'MAHA bills,' which was headlined by Utah's first-in-the-nation law to ban cities from adding fluoride to drinking water. Idaho Legislature approves ban on SNAP coverage for candy, soda 'Thank you to the governors of Indiana, Arkansas, Idaho, Utah, Iowa, and Nebraska for their bold leadership and unwavering commitment to Make America Healthy Again,' Kennedy said in a news release issued Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 'I call on every governor in the nation to submit a SNAP waiver to eliminate sugary drinks — taxpayer dollars should never bankroll products that fuel the chronic disease epidemic.' Rollins, in a prepared statement, said the Trump administration is 'unified in improving the health of our nation.' 'America's governors have proudly answered the call to innovate by improving nutrition programs, ensuring better choices while respecting the generosity of the American taxpayer,' Rollins said. 'Each waiver submitted by the states and signed is yet another step closer to fulfilling President Trump's promise to Make America Healthy Again.' Critics of the SNAP restrictions, including Democrats and low-income advocates, argued states shouldn't restrict freedom of choice and should treat Americans like adults who can practice personal responsibility. A 'MAHA' bill is making its way through the Utah Legislature Food industry representatives have also expressed concerns about unintended consequences by limiting consumer choices and creating confusion about what can or can't be purchased in grocery stores. They also argued it isn't likely to improve health outcomes. But proponents from Republican-led states argued excluding 'unhealthy' foods from SNAP benefits was 'common sense.' The sponsor of Utah's bill, Rep. Kristen Chevrier, R-Highland, called it a 'no brainer' way to safeguard public health and stop 'subsidizing poison for kids.' In a post on X on Wednesday, Chevrier said Utah 'led the charge' by seeking the SNAP waiver while also passing HB402, another bill that banned public schools from serving food with certain food dyes and other additives in them. 'I was honored to sponsor both bills,' she wrote. 'This is the beginning of a critical and long-awaited cultural revolution.' During debate over Utah's bill, Rep. John Hawkins, R-Pleasant Grove, said he was initially hesitant to support the bill, saying he wasn't a 'huge proponent of the government stepping in and telling people what they can and can't consume with their food.' 'But as I thought about it,' Hawkins said in February, 'I've come to the conclusion that in this particular case, I think the government does have the right to say, 'We want you to be healthy and we want to set the parameters around what you can use government subsidies for.'' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
NDTV
30-05-2025
- Health
- NDTV
Trump Administration's Health Report Cites Research That Doesn't Exist
Washington DC: The US government's 'Make America Healthy Again' or MAHA commission and its chief Robert F Kennedy Jr, find themselves in an embarrassing situation after a health report it released cited "totally fabricated" research material. The report was about children's health in America. Two versions of the report were released over the last week - the first on May 22 and the revised and updated version on May 29, but upon scrutiny, it was revealed that the studies quoted in the report, upon which their entire findings were based, were completely fabricated. This was highlighted by the academics who were wrongly listed as the authors of those studies. The report, which was focused on the chronic disease crisis among American children, listed its causes in detail and added its findings based on studies which were "fabricated" according to academics. The updated version of the report was also found to have used seven sources which do not even exist, US' digital news outlet NOTUS said. But the Trump Administration tried to downplay the incident by claiming that it was due to "formatting issues". White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the country's top health panel - MAHA - will rework the report and share an update, but did not specify when. Moreover, she did not negate the substance of the report. Make America Health Again was the brainchild of Robert F Kennedy Jr, and is based on Donald Trump's slogan 'Make America Great Again' or MAGA - which the Republican leader used widely during his electoral campaign, and even now as US President. Robert F Kennedy Jr, who is the person in-charge of outlining America's health policy and outlook, is an intensely controversial figure, who has for long, promoted false claims that "autism comes from vaccines". The research behind this week's report was being carried out by Mr Kennedy Jr's panel and was initiated after President Trump signed an executive order to "study the scope of the childhood chronic disease crisis and any potential contributing causes". According to the BBC, the authors quoted in the studies mentioned in the government report have said, that not only have they not written them, but the studies do not even exist, to begin with. One of the named authors, Guohua Li, a professor at Columbia University, spoke with news agency AFP, saying that the study their name is linked to is "totally fabricated" and that the co-author - Noah Kreski - whose name is mentioned along with his, is a person he has never even heard of. When AFP contacted him, Noah Kreski, who is a researcher at Columbia University, also denied being a part of any such study, and said the same about Mr Li. He added that "It doesn't appear to be a study that exists at all." Several other authors named in the MAHA report have similar complaints and are concerned about their names being used over fictitious studies without their knowledge. Citations are a critical part of scientific research and add authenticity and credibility to scientific findings.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
RFK Jr. may stop government scientists from publishing in top journals
May 29 (UPI) -- U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said this week that he may no longer allow government scientists to publish research in top medical journals. Kennedy made the statement on a podcast called The Ultimate Human, on which he called the journals "corrupt" and said they were controlled by drug companies. "We're probably going to stop publishing in The Lancet, New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA and those other journals," Kennedy said. All three journals are known for publishing peer-reviewed studies and are widely read by health professionals around the world. JAMA and The Lancet each get more than 30 million visits to their websites every year. The New England Journal of Medicine reaches more than 1 million readers weekly, in print and online, The Washington Post reported. None of the journals responded right away to Kennedy's comments. Kennedy said he wants HHS to create its own journals instead. They would "become the preeminent journals, because if you get [NIH] funding, it is anointing you as a good, legitimate scientist." But some public health experts strongly disagreed. "Banning NIH-funded researchers from publishing in leading medical journals and requiring them to publish only in journals that carry the RFK Jr. seal of approval would delegitimize taxpayer-funded research," Dr. Adam Gaffney, an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, told The Post. Gaffney also warned that drug approvals rely on science. While saying it's important to guard against commercial interests, he warned that Kennedy's plans - along with funding cuts and anti-vaccine views - could hurt public health. On the podcast, Kennedy also criticized government agencies under HHS, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, National Institutes of Health and Medicare and Medicaid offices. He described them as "sock puppets" for the pharmaceutical industry. The podcast came out shortly after Kennedy announced his department would stop recommending the COVID-19 vaccine for healthy children and pregnant women, bypassing CDC guidance. Last week, the administration also released a new "Make America Health Again" report that challenged common views in medicine, including on vaccines. The Post said the report included misleading information and claims not backed by strong evidence. In April, a U.S. attorney sent a rare letter to the journal Chest, questioning its editorial policies. Critics said the move threatened freedom of speech, The Post reported. Meanwhile, NIH funding has dropped by more than $3 billion since January, and many top universities are losing out on funding for research. Kennedy has also led a major staff reduction at HHS, with about 20,000 federal workers cut - affecting almost every part of the agency, The Post said. The cuts and funding freezes have led some U.S. scientists to consider leaving the country for jobs elsewhere. Countries like France, Germany, Spain and China are now actively recruiting American researchers. More information The Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England has more about the role of journals. Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
