White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has publicly addressed scrutiny over former President Donald Trump's well-documented penchant for fast food and sugary drinks, stating he simply "has his own habits." This defence comes after Trump's own Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F Kennedy Jr., launched a startling public critique of the President's daily diet.
Health Secretary's Scathing 'Poison' Critique
The controversy erupted this week when Kennedy, in a candid interview on the Katie Miller Podcast, described the 79-year-old President as "pumping himself full of poison" on a daily basis. He detailed a regimen of McDonald's, candy, and constant Diet Coke, expressing amazement at Trump's vitality. "I don't know how he's alive," Kennedy quipped, suggesting the President must "have the constitution of a deity."
Kennedy offered an insight into Trump's reasoning, revealing that the President's insistence on fast food while travelling stems from a fear of food contamination. "He trusts it... he doesn't want to get sick," Kennedy explained, noting Trump might opt for healthier choices at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
'MAHA Mom' Leavitt Offers a Softer Defence
The remarks created an awkward backdrop for the launch of the Trump administration's 'Make America Healthy Again' (MAHA) campaign. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who describes herself as a 'MAHA mom', offered a more diplomatic take when speaking to Politico. She acknowledged Trump does not personally subscribe to strict healthy eating but insisted he "understands the movement."
"(Trump understands) the power behind all of these moms who have united in pushing for a real public health change, and he fully supports it and gets it," Leavitt stated. She emphasised Trump's belief in parental choice regarding their children's health and education, arguing he empowers parents to make the best decisions.
Whole Milk Act Signed Amid Cognitive Test Boast
The MAHA campaign moved forward with tangible policy on Wednesday as President Trump signed the 'Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act' into law, announcing that schoolchildren nationwide will have access to whole milk. During the Oval Office signing with farmers, Trump humorously linked his own health to the product, joking that drinking whole milk helped him ace cognitive tests. "I've taken a lot of them," Trump said. "I've aced every one of them because I drink milk."
This follows a post on his Truth Social platform earlier this month where he bragged of his "perfect health" and top marks on cognitive exams, challenging all future presidential candidates to take similar tests. The White House spokesman, Kush Desai, echoed this robust defence after Kennedy's comments, stating in a release: "Secretary Kennedy is right: as his golf championships and flawless physical report results indicate, President Trump has the constitution and energy levels most young people could only dream of having."
The episode highlights a striking dissonance between the administration's public health messaging and the personal lifestyle of its leader, defended by staff as a matter of personal habit and choice.
