Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has pushed back against Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey’s defense of Dunkin’ Donuts amid concerns over high sugar content in beverages. The exchange follows Kennedy’s recent rally comments targeting the chain and Starbucks. Kennedy emphasized the need for safety data without proposing to ban the products.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., serving as Health and Human Services Secretary, engaged in a public back-and-forth with Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey after she defended Dunkin’ Donuts against criticism from the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative.
The dispute arose following Kennedy’s speech at a rally last week at Brazos Hall in Austin, Texas. There, he questioned the safety of sugary drinks, stating, “We’re going to ask Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks, ‘Show us the safety data that show that it’s OK for a teenage girl to drink an iced coffee with 115 grams of sugar in it.’” He added, “I don’t think they’re going to be able to do it.”
Governor Healey responded with a tweet featuring an image of a Dunkin’ beverage cup and the phrase “Come and take it,” signaling resistance to any perceived threats to the New England staple.
On March 5, 2026, Kennedy replied via Twitter: “No one is taking away your Dunkin’. But isn’t it reasonable to ask whether a drink loaded with 180 grams of sugar is safe?”
Following the rally, MAHA Action, a nonprofit aligned with Kennedy, issued a statement on Monday announcing the closure of the GRAS (generally recognized as safe) loophole. This policy change requires new food ingredients to provide proof of safety, compelling companies like Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks to submit data they were previously obligated to maintain. The reforms seek to align American food standards with the highest global levels of safety and nutrition.
Kennedy has previously criticized the GRAS system during a “60 Minutes” interview last month. He described it as “hijacked by the industry,” enabling the addition of “thousands upon thousands of new ingredients into our food supply.” He contrasted this with Europe, which permits only 400 legal ingredients, and noted that U.S. regulators lack knowledge of all ingredients in American foods. Kennedy further stated, “There is…no way for any American to know if a product is safe if it is ultra processed.”
This episode highlights ongoing debates over food regulation and public health in the United States.
