Secretary of State Marco Rubio cracked up the Cabinet room this week with a jab at Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr’s crusade against processed foods. “Because of Secretary Kennedy, I’m afraid to eat anything,” Rubio said to roaring laughter, before adding, “In front of him… he said Tootsie Rolls are OK, in moderation.”
The joke came as Kennedy escalated his campaign against ultra-processed foods during a high-profile news conference, where he declared, “Sugar is poison,” and claimed to have secured “an understanding” with leading food manufacturers to remove petroleum-based colourings from their products by 2026.
No company officially backed Kennedy’s remarks, though the International Dairy Foods Association has pledged to eliminate artificial colours from milk, cheese, and yogurt sold in schools under federal nutrition programmes starting in 2026.
“Four years from now, we are going to have most of these products off the market, or you will know about them when you go to the grocery store,” Kennedy said.
Speaking from a Department of Health and Human Services stage flanked by MAHA Moms and children—supporters of his “Make America Healthy Again” initiative—Kennedy blamed ultra-processed foods for rising obesity, diabetes, and heart disease rates in the US. He criticised federal guidelines for recommending what he sees as excessive sugar intake. “It’s hurting them, and it’s addicting them, and it’s changing their taste buds,” he said.
Kennedy’s remarks follow his nomination by President Donald Trump as US Health Secretary, a role that covers medical research, public health, and food safety. Trump reportedly tasked Kennedy with removing “corruption” from health agencies and ending the “chronic disease epidemic.”
Kennedy’s push for food reform has been accompanied by deep budget and staffing cuts at key agencies. Critics argue these changes may undercut his own agenda. Several scientists have resigned, including NIH’s leading nutrition expert Kevin Hall and FDA food division chief Jim Jones, who said the layoffs made his role “fruitless.”
Still, Kennedy has found allies, including FDA Commissioner Dr Marty Makary, who said, “You win more bees with honey than fire,” and urged a cooperative approach to food reform.
While Kennedy’s efforts around food safety have drawn praise, his past comments on vaccines and fluoride have stirred controversy. His views have been widely criticised by medical professionals, who warn that they spread misinformation and undermine public health.
Kennedy, who recently ended his independent presidential run and endorsed Trump, maintains that he wants better vaccine science and informed public choice. Yet his repeated claims linking vaccines to autism—long discredited—have alarmed health experts.
Kennedy’s focus on processed food additives and food colouring reflects his broader belief that ultra-processed foods are fuelling an American health crisis. While some researchers support a link between diet and chronic disease, others caution that more evidence is needed to isolate the specific effects of food processing from broader socioeconomic and lifestyle factors.
Still, as Rubio’s quip about Tootsie Rolls suggests, Kennedy’s dietary crusade has already had a cultural ripple effect—even inside the White House.