President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that Coca-Cola has agreed to begin using real cane sugar in its products following his suggestion—a move he called a “very good” decision. However, the soft drink giant has yet to confirm any such change.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote:
“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. This will be a very good move by them — You’ll see. It’s just better!”
Coca-Cola has not released an official statement verifying Trump’s claim, and it remains unclear whether any reformulation is actually in the works.
Trump’s fondness for Coca-Cola—especially Diet Coke—is well documented. During his presidency, Trump reportedly had a special “Diet Coke button” installed on the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office. Pressing it summoned a staffer to deliver one of the 12 cans he reportedly consumed each day.
The beverage even played a role in his inauguration celebrations. In 2017, Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey gifted Trump a commemorative glass bottle of Diet Coke, complete with a custom label featuring the White House and the words: “The Inauguration of the President of the United States Donald J. Trump.” A note alongside the gift highlighted Coca-Cola’s long-standing U.S. roots and its role in the economy.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who also has a well-known taste for Coke, once posted a photo of the gift bottle, declaring, “The inventor of Diet Coke is a genius.”
Despite his allegiance to the drink, Trump once joked in 2012 on Twitter (now X), “I have never seen a thin person drinking Diet Coke.”
While President Joe Biden reportedly had the Diet Coke button removed shortly after taking office in 2021, Trump’s loyalty to the brand has remained intact—making his latest claim about influencing its ingredients unsurprising to longtime observers.
For now, though, all eyes are on Coca-Cola to see whether Trump’s claim about a return to cane sugar will be confirmed—or fizzle out like a flat soda.
