The President of these United States famously drinks Diet Coke.
Despite his preference, however, it’s regular Coca-Cola he’s making waves about.
“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,” Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social last week.
The Atlanta-based company has confirmed the story, but it will not be removing High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) Coke from the market.
What will change?
“Mexican Coke” (made from refined cane sugar) is available in glass bottles right now, for a premium, in many venues. In effect, Trump is merely helping promote this currently U.S.-made product, allowing it to sit next to regular Coke just as aspartame-sweetened Diet Coke competes on the shelf with Coke Zero, which is made with a blend of artificial sweeteners, including aspartame and acesulfame potassium (Ace‑K).
Maybe all Coca-Cola will really do is re-brand Mexican Coke.
To “Trump Coke”?
“I’d like to thank all of those in authority at Coca-Cola,” added the president. “This will be a very good move by them — You’ll see. It’s just better!”
Matters of taste aside, cane sugar may be marginally healthier for you than HFCS. Invented in the Fifties and Sixties in labs, it has been pushed by the USDA, which regulates its prices (as Matt Damon’s 2009 comedy The Informant! makes clear). But both are sugar, if slightly different, chemically.
Behind the proposal to switch to HFCS lies a broader reality: domestic refined cane sugar production from states like Hawaii, Florida, and Louisiana falls short of U.S. consumption needs, while protectionist policies keep its price significantly above global market levels.
For some reason, Donald Trump hasn’t been talking about reducing the sugar tariff!
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
Illustration created with Krea and Firefly
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2 replies on “The New Old Coke”
HFCS products are banned in Europe. Trump may be looking to grow the export market. This could be a win-win. Lowering the sugar tariff and increasing the domestic market for sugar might benefit both sides. But there’s always a catch — where will the corn famers and HFCS processors go? Someone will lose out in the end.
This is really important stuff, earthshaking! Keep up the great work on Trump!