The US President Donald Trump announced on July 16 that Coca-Cola has agreed to sweeten its US-produced beverages with cane sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup, following his discussions with the company, Reuters reports.
«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,» Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social.
A Coca-Cola spokesperson responded by saying that the company, based in Atlanta, would be sharing updates on upcoming product offerings soon and thanked Trump for his support. While Coca-Cola in the United States is generally sweetened with corn syrup, in other regions the brand already uses cane sugar.
MAHA campaign drives reform in food industry
The shift aligns with the goals of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative, which forms part of Trump’s broader public health platform. Launched in conjunction with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., MAHA has urged food and beverage companies to revise their formulas and remove artificial additives and controversial ingredients.
Kennedy, who has long criticised American dietary trends, recently stated that new federal nutritional guidelines expected later this year will encourage consumers to choose unprocessed, whole foods. A report published in May by the MAHA Commission – a group created by Trump to investigate rising chronic disease rates – highlighted concerns about the role of high-fructose corn syrup in childhood obesity and related health issues. While nutritionists recommend reducing added sugar intake, most experts say there is little nutritional difference between cane sugar and corn syrup.
Backlash from corn lobby and economic concerns
The proposal has sparked immediate resistance from representatives of the US corn industry. John Bode, President and CEO of the Corn Refiners Association, criticised the move, saying it could hurt domestic jobs and farmers while increasing reliance on imported sugar.
«Replacing high fructose corn syrup with cane sugar doesn’t make sense,» Bode said. «It would cost thousands of American food manufacturing jobs, depress farm income, and boost imports of foreign sugar, all with no nutritional benefit.»
Corn has long played a central role in the US economy, particularly in the Midwest, where it enjoys strong political backing. Conversely, Florida, Trump’s home state, leads the country in sugarcane production, raising further debate about the regional impact of the move.
The White House did not issue an official comment on the announcement. The MAHA Commission is composed of several key administration figures, including Kennedy, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and other cabinet members.
Kursiv also reports that Trump has pledged to deliver advanced weaponry to Ukraine through NATO countries and threatened to impose 100% secondary tariffs on Russia’s trade partners.
