President Trump recently announced a significant change coming in the production of Coca-Cola. On Wednesday, Trump revealed in a post on Truth Social that the soft drink manufacturer would begin making Coke with cane sugar.
“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,” Trump said. “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!”
The U.S. version of Coca-Cola was produced with cane sugar as the primary sweetener until the 1980s, when the company switched to high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) due to the higher prices of cane sugar. The company still produces cane sugar versions of the popular beverage in other countries such as Mexico.
Trump’s negotiations with various food manufacturers have been a key part of the Make America Healthy Again agenda led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Although Trump’s announcement dealt with the classic version of Coca-Cola, Trump is notoriously a fan of Diet Coke and received a commemorative bottle in celebration of his inauguration in January from Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey.
After Trump returned to office in 2025, his “Diet Coke button” was reinstalled in the Oval Office. The button alerts White House staff when President Trump requests a Diet Coke. Trump joked to reporters during his first term that the people around him get “a little nervous” when he presses the button for a refill of his favorite beverage.