Donald Trump's Cancer Claims About Diet Coke Raise Eyebrows
President Donald Trump believes drinking diet soda prevents cancer, according to Dr. Mehmet Oz, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Oz made the claim during an interview with Donald Trump Jr. on the most recent episode of the latter's podcast Triggered with Don Jr. "Your dad argues that diet soda is good for him because it kills grass-if poured on grass-so, therefore, it must kill cancer cells inside the body," he said.
Oz continued: "You know, we were on Air Force One the other day, and I walk in there because he wants to talk about something, and he’s got an orange soft drink on his desk. He’s got a Fanta on the desk and I say, ‘Are you kidding me?' So he starts to, like, sheepishly grin. He says, ‘You know, this stuff's good for me, it kills cancer cells.'"
A former cardiothoracic surgeon, Oz also claimed Trump once joked with him that Fanta could not be bad for him because it is "fresh squeezed." Trump Jr. did attempt to defend his father's position suggesting "maybe he's onto something."
"Because I will say this: I know a lot of guys pushing 80-not a lot have his level of energy, recall, stamina," he said.
Video footage of Oz explaining Trump’s stance during the podcast has been widely shared on X, sparking concern and criticism among viewers.
Newsweek has contacted the White House for comment.
Why It Matters
Oz's claims fly in the face of the efforts of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr to "Make America Healthy Again." Back in January, Kennedy Jr, and Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins released new Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
The new guidelines were designed with a clear message to the American people: eat real food. Kennedy called on American households to "prioritize whole, nutrient-dense foods-protein, dairy, vegetables, fruits, healthy fats, and whole grains-and dramatically reduce highly processed foods." Despite Kennedy's opposition to ultra-processed foods and beverages, Trump is a keen advocate for fast food like McDonald's and drinks Diet Coke on a daily basis. He even had a special button installed in the Oval Office that, when pressed, alerts staff to bring him a cold Diet Coke.
What To Know
A video of Trump Jr. and Oz discussing the president’s claims was posted to X by Republicans Against Trump, a pro-democracy conservative Republican group opposed to the Trump administration. At the time of writing, the video has been watched over 630,000 times. Another version of the same video was also posted to X by @factpostnews, a Democratic National Committee initiative “to combat online misinformation and respond to Trump administration actions,” where it has been watched over 100,000 times.
One user, @vladlobachevsk2, who has shared posts critical of the Trump administration on their page, commented: "Oz is telling the story as a funny anecdote. But it shows that Trump is an idiot. It’s not that diet soda is particularly harmful. But to drink it because you think it’s going to prevent cancer because it kills grass-that’s more than ridiculous: it’s incredibly stupid."
Another user, @julest10003, who has shared posts criticizing Trump on their page, wrote: “Oh hohoho the President of the United States yuks around in meetings and eats candy and fully believes soda is great for him … the GOAT! Every day with Trump feels like we’re discussing the president of the 6th grade student council. We’re not a serious country."
A third, @trueblueliberal, meanwhile, said: "So, Junior and Oz are joking on a podcast about what an absolute moron Jr.’s Dad is? Maybe Jr.’s Dad shouldn’t occupy the most dangerous office in the world. And if liquids that kill grass are so good for human bodies, then why doesn’t he drink Roundup rather than Coke & Fanta?"
Diet Coke and Cancer
There is no scientific evidence that Diet Coke-or any soda, food, or beverage-can prevent cancer. Major reviews and meta‑analyses have also found no consistent association between diet soda and overall cancer risk.
Though the WHO's cancer agency (IARC) classified aspartame as "possibly carcinogenic" in 2023, regulators including the FDA and EFSA concluded existing evidence does not demonstrate increased cancer risk at typical intake levels.
However, a 2025 umbrella review of 19 meta‑analyses found artificially sweetened beverages were associated with 10 percent higher all‑cause mortality, eight percent higher cardiovascular mortality and increased risks of hypertension, coronary heart disease, metabolic syndrome, and stroke.
Newsweek's reporters and editors used Martyn, our Al assistant, to help produce this story. Learn more about Martyn.
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This story was originally published April 15, 2026 at 10:17 AM.