⬅ Donald Trump: Dietary Habits

During his 2016 campaign and during his presidency, Tump had a peculiar and unhealthy dietary focus on fast food, snacks, and Diet Coke. SEE BELOW

His 2016 campaign manager wrote that the "orchestrating and timing of Mr. Trump's meals was as important as any other aspect of his march to the presidency," requiring great attention from top aides to ensure the delivery of hot fast food after rallies 1.

In the White House, Trump consumed approximately a dozen Diet Cokes per day 2. Pressing a button on his Oval Office desk would summon a White House butler to bring him one 3. In speculating on possible reasons for Trump's Coke gluttony SEE BELOW, Dr. Zebra bets on either (a)  he needs the caffeine to counteract pathological somnolence, or (b) given his fear of being poisoned, he finds security in drinking from an unopened can.

Trump is partial to fast food and Diet Coke, as these quoted excepts show: MORE.

• From 4:

  A recent book by former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski and former aide David Bossie, Let Trump Be Trump 5, said the presidential candidate would often eat one McDonald's meal a day consisting of two Big Macs, two Filet-O-Fish sandwiches and a chocolate shake -- a menu that would total at least 2,400 calories and more than 3,400 milligrams of sodium.

• From 1, referencing the same book:

  Trump's fast-food diet is a theme. "On Trump Force One there were four major food groups: McDonald's, Kentucky Fried Chicken, pizza and Diet Coke," the authors write. The plane's cupboards were stacked with Vienna Fingers, potato chips, pretzels and many packages of Oreos because Trump, a renowned germaphobe, would not eat from a previously opened package. The book notes that "the orchestrating and timing of Mr. Trump's meals was as important as any other aspect of his march to the presidency," and it describes the elaborate efforts that Lewandowski and other top aides went through to carefully time their delivery of hot fast food to Trump's plane as he was departing his rallies.

• Despite having tweeted in 2012 "I have never seen a thin person drinking Diet Coke" 6 and calling the beverage "garbage" 7, Trump drinks a dozen of them each day 2. By pressing a button on his Oval Office desk, he summons a White House butler to bring him one 3 (but not always a butler 8). He has said that he likes a "little caffeine" and that, while he likes tomato juice and orange juice, "Coke or Pepsi boosts you up a little" 8. Coke and apple juice were the only beverages served at his parents' house 9a.

  Comment: It is reasonable to ask why he might consume so much Diet Coke.

  • He likes it. This seems unlikely, given that he has previously called it "garbage" 7;
  • He is using it medicinally as a caffeine delivery vehicle, to counteract sleepiness. This is likely because: (a) Trump does not sleep much, plus (b) given his central obesity it is highly likely he has obstructive sleep apnea making him somnolent, plus (c) He has previously lauded the boost he gets from Coke and Pepsi 8 (and, in a vicious cycle, the caffeine may of course prevent him from sleeping more);
  • He is physically addicted to caffeine and gets withdrawal symptoms if he lowers his intake; or
  • He is afraid of being poisoned by someone putting something in his drink. (Dr. Zebra bets that Trump insists on opening the can himself.)

Beyond fast food, "Mr. Trump has always relished gossiping over plates of well-done steak, salad slathered with Roquefort dressing and bacon crumbles, tureens of gravy and massive slices of dessert with extra ice cream" 2.

At Trump's first presidential physical (2018), his physician prescribed a change in diet MORE. Trump was non-compliant 10.