Donald Trump Slams Coca-Cola Again: Inside His Latest Boycott Push and How the Soda Giant Is Responding

Former President Donald Trump reignited a decades-old soda debate on Wednesday, declaring on Truth Social that “Coca-Cola has agreed to start using REAL cane sugar in Coke sold in the United States.” He framed the move as a personal victory, saying he “spoke with the top people at Coke” and secured their commitment to phase out high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), which has sweetened U.S. Coca-Cola since 1984. Coca-Cola’s immediate response, however, was cautious. A company spokesperson told multiple outlets that “we continually evaluate ingredients” but stopped short of confirming any formula change or timeline, adding that “there are no current plans to alter Coca-Cola Classic for the U.S. market.” Reporters pressed the Atlanta beverage giant on whether Trump’s conversation actually took place; the company neither confirmed nor denied the call, reiterating only that it “values feedback from consumers everywhere.” NBC News described the statement as Coke “dodging” the claim while leaving the door open to future tweaks. Why cane sugar matters • Taste nostalgia: Many consumers swear that Mexican-bottled Coca-Cola, still made with cane sugar, has a cleaner finish and smoother mouthfeel than its HFCS counterpart. • Health perceptions: While nutritionists note that cane sugar and HFCS have similar caloric impact, cane sugar lacks the public-relations baggage that corn syrup accumulated during the obesity wars of the 2000s. • Political optics: Trump has repeatedly criticized HFCS as “government-subsidized corn sweetener” and positioned cane sugar as both a “healthier” and “more American” alternative, despite sugar tariffs that keep U.S. cane prices well above world averages. Industry analysts are skeptical that a nationwide switch is imminent. “Reformulating the flagship product would require new supply contracts, factory retooling, and consumer taste tests across dozens of bottling plants,” said Caroline Levy, beverage analyst at Macquarie. She noted that cane sugar costs roughly 30–40 percent more than HFCS on a solids basis, potentially adding hundreds of millions in annual input costs unless Coca-Cola raises prices or trims margins. Retailers, meanwhile, are watching closely. “If Coke goes cane, Pepsi may have to follow or risk losing share among flavor-conscious shoppers,” said Steve Cahillane, CEO of a regional grocery chain that already stocks glass-bottled, cane-sweetened Coke as a premium import. In 2009, PepsiCo briefly marketed ‘Pepsi Throwback’ made with cane sugar, but reverted to HFCS after the nostalgia wave faded. Will consumer pressure tip the scales? Social media chatter exploded after Trump’s post, with #BringBackRealCoke trending on X and TikTok taste-test videos racking up millions of views. Google searches for “Coke cane sugar” hit a yearly high Wednesday night, according to data from search analytics firm Semrush. Regulatory backdrop A formula change would not require FDA approval as long as Coke lists ingredients accurately. However, switching sweeteners could affect Coca-Cola’s long-standing commodity contracts with corn refiners, many of whom operate in Midwestern swing states. Political observers speculate that Trump’s push may resonate with sugar-producing Florida and Louisiana while irking corn growers in Iowa—an early primary battleground. What happens next Coca-Cola has not provided a timeline for any decision. Insiders say the company is monitoring consumer sentiment and running limited market tests with cane-sweetened prototypes. For now, the only guaranteed way for U.S. shoppers to taste cane-sugar Coke domestically is to buy the pricier “Hecho en México” bottles or the company’s kosher-for-Passover edition that appears each spring. Whether Trump’s claim proves symbolic or transformative, it has already thrust Coca-Cola’s secret-sauce mystique back into the political spotlight—and reminded the beverage industry that one well-timed social-media post can shake up America’s most iconic soda.