WASHINGTON D.C, July 16, 2025 – In a surprising twist of beverage politics, President Donald J. Trump has announced that Coca-Cola has agreed to switch to using real cane sugar in its U.S. formula, a move he claims to have spearheaded. The announcement, posted yesterday by the Trump War Room on X, features an image of Trump alongside the statement: “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!”
The declaration has sparked a wave of excitement among soda enthusiasts, with many recalling the cult following of Mexican Coke—imported with cane sugar—since it became widely available in U.S. grocery stores in the early 2000s [Mexican Coke – Wikipedia]. This follows a 2013 decision by a Mexican Coca-Cola bottler to shift to glucose-fructose syrup due to new labeling laws, highlighting a potential reversal in global recipe consistency if Trump’s claim holds true.
The move aligns with a growing consumer preference for natural sweeteners, fueled by health debates over high-fructose corn syrup, which replaced cane sugar in the U.S. formula in the 1980s and has been linked by some to rising obesity rates [r/Soda on Reddit: Favorite cane sugar soda? – www.reddit.com]. Trump’s announcement has reignited discussions, with supporters like Steven (@SirStevenKJ) on X celebrating, “I’m not kidding when I say I literally voted for Cane Sugar to be put back in soda. Trump is delivering.”
However, the timing coincides with external pressures on Coca-Cola’s operations. India’s recent mandate, effective April 1, 2025, requiring 30% recycled plastic in beverage bottles, may force the company to overhaul its packaging strategy alongside any sweetener changes [‘We May Have to Take Legal Recourse’: New Law Forces Coca-Cola and PepsiCo to Overhaul Their Packaging – dailygalaxy.com]. While Coca-Cola has yet to officially confirm the switch, the prospect of a cane sugar revival has soda fans eagerly awaiting a taste test, with Trump’s bold claim adding a political flavor to the fizz.