Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is making waves due to his stance on eliminating junk food from the American diet, and specifically the ability to purchase such food and drink on welfare programs such as the food stamp program.
According to Live Now Fox, Kennedy recently announced at a Martinsburg, West Virginia event that states will now have the authority to ban people from buying sugary soft drinks on the food stamp program, otherwise known as SNAP.
The effort to give states the power to make the decision comes as part of his "Make America Healthy Again" mission, which has been both widely celebrated and criticized from all angles.
However, he's not the only one calling for the ban, as several members of Congress already have bills in the works to accomplish similar outcomes.
Kennedy, who was chosen by President Donald Trump to lead the Health and Human Services department, made his stance on the issue clear in an X post.
"I commend the 24 states pushing MAHA bills to clean up our food system, improve school lunches, submit waivers to SNAP, and promote patient choice," Kennedy said on X.
"This state leadership adds leverage to the Trump administration’s drive to Make America Healthy Again. I urge every Governor to follow West Virginia’s lead and submit a waiver to the USDA to remove soda from SNAP. If there’s one thing we can agree on, it should be eliminating taxpayer-funded soda subsidies for lower income kids. I look forward to inviting every Governor who submits a waiver to come celebrate with me at the White House this fall."
Thank you @WVGovernor Morrisey and legislators for leading the nation in passing a bill to clean up our food supply and submitting a waiver to remove soda from SNAP. I commend the 24 states pushing MAHA bills to clean up our food system, improve school lunches, submit waivers to…
— Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) March 28, 2025
Oklahoma Republican Rep. Josh Breechan agrees, saying that taxpayers shouldn't be on the hook for the unhealth lifestyles of those on food stamp programs.
"If someone wants to buy junk food on their own dime, that’s up to them," he said. "But what we’re saying is, ‘Don’t ask the taxpayer to pay for it and then also expect the taxpayer to pick up the tab for the resulting health consequences.'"
Many social media users cheered Kennedy for making the announcement.
"Thank you @SecKennedy for making America healthy again, I never realized how our own food companies and pharmaceutical companies were literally killing U.S. with the crap they put in our foods/medicines until you came along. We appreciate all that you do!!!" one X user wrote.
Another X user wrote, "A critical milestone achieved in the fight to Make America Healthy Again with West Virginia being the first trail blazing state to pass SNAP reform. Looking forward to seeing more states follow their lead!"
Only time will tell if additional states enact similar policies.
