00:00Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he has been unable to influence
00:04President Donald Trump's eating habits after being questioned by reporters about the president's
00:08well-known diet. During a press exchange, a reporter referenced Trump's frequent consumption
00:13of Diet Coke and fast food, including McDonald's, and asked whether Kennedy had raised concerns
00:17about the health and financial costs of those habits. Kennedy briefly responded,
00:21to no avail, before stepping away from the podium. Kennedy has previously spoken publicly
00:25about Trump's food choices. In a January appearance on the Katie Miller podcast,
00:28he described the president's diet as consisting largely of McDonald's, candy, and Diet Coke,
00:33and remarked on Trump's apparent physical resilience despite those habits. Trump's
00:37reported McDonald's order has been widely documented by journalists. According to multiple reports,
00:42the usual order includes a Filet-O-Fish, a Quarter Pounder, a Big Mac, and additional sandwiches,
00:47totaling close to 2,400 calories. Some reporters have said consuming the full order required
00:52multiple people. Kennedy, by contrast, is known for a fitness-focused public image, including
00:56sharing workout routines, and for controversial positions on public health topics. Since taking
01:01office in February, he has overseen significant changes within the Department of Health and Human
01:05Services, including staff reductions in the freezing or a cancellation of billions of dollars
01:10in scientific research funding. As part of a broader campaign focused on chronic disease,
01:15Kennedy has revisited federal guidance on issues such as seed oils, fluoride, and over-the-counter
01:19medications. In early January, he also unveiled a revised food pyramid that emphasizes meat and saturated
01:25fats, arguing previous guidance contributed to poor health outcomes. Members of Trump's Maha team,
01:30including Dr. Mehmet Oz, have echoed those views, stating that reducing rates of obesity,
01:35diabetes, heart disease, and Alzheimer's disease could result in hundreds of billions of dollars
01:39in annual savings. The administration has not announced changes to presidential dietary practices.
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