President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that Coca-Cola will begin using real cane sugar in its flagship U.S. beverage—a claim the company hasn’t confirmed. Trump made the statement on his social media platform, saying he suggested the change to the beverage giant and that they had agreed to it. “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!” he posted.
Coca-Cola, headquartered in Atlanta, responded diplomatically but noncommittally. A company spokesperson said they appreciated the president’s enthusiasm and added that more details about future product offerings would be announced soon. However, they did not confirm any plans to replace high-fructose corn syrup with cane sugar in U.S.-produced Coca-Cola.
In many countries, such as Mexico and Australia, Coca-Cola already uses cane sugar. In the U.S., a niche market exists for “Mexican Coke,” bottled in glass and imported since 2005, specifically for its cane sugar content.
A change in sweetener could have economic implications. John Bode, President and CEO of the Corn Refiners Association, criticized the idea, stating that replacing corn syrup with cane sugar would negatively impact American farmers and food manufacturing jobs. “President Trump stands for American manufacturing jobs, American farmers, and reducing the trade deficit,” Bode said. “Replacing high fructose corn syrup with cane sugar would cost thousands of American food manufacturing jobs, depress farm income, and boost imports of foreign sugar, all with no nutritional benefit.”
Despite his push for a sweeter Coke, Trump remains devoted to Diet Coke, which uses aspartame, not sugar or corn syrup. During his first term, he famously had a red button on his Oval Office desk that summoned a Diet Coke on demand. At one point, he was reported to consume as many as a dozen Diet Cokes per day.
His relationship with Coca-Cola has been a mix of criticism and loyalty. In 2012, Trump tweeted skepticism about diet sodas and their health impacts, quipping that “the Coca Cola company is not happy with me — that’s okay, I’ll still keep drinking that garbage.” Yet Diet Coke remained a constant presence, even seen next to him at international summits years later.
Whether or not Coca-Cola makes the sugar switch Trump announced, the statement has already stirred debate between beverage fans, agriculture stakeholders, and nutrition commentators alike.
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