Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a not-so-sweet response to Gov. Maura Healey’s defense of Dunkin’. Kennedy targeted the Massachusetts-based coffee chain, along with Starbucks, at the Feb. 26 “Eat Real Food” rally held in Austin, Texas. The event promoted a health agenda that prioritizes “whole, nutrient-dense foods over highly processed alternatives.”
“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,’” Kennedy told the audience. “I don’t think they’re gonna be able to do it.”
Gov. Healey, who had previously promoted the brand in a political stunt spoofing the “DunKings” Super Bowl commercial, was quick to clap back. She reshared a Boston Globe article about Kennedy’s comments and replied on X with a meme goading him to “come and take it.”
Kennedy used the opportunity to clarify his remarks. Replying to Healey’s post, he asserted that it’s not a war on Dunkin’ he’s waging — it’s a war on sugar.
“No one is taking away your Dunkin’,” Kennedy said on X. “But isn’t it reasonable to ask whether a drink loaded with 180 grams of sugar is safe?”
Boston.com readers weighed in on the debate, with a slim majority siding with Kennedy. Among 770 respondents to our poll, 396 agreed with Kennedy’s stance, while 382 disagreed.
Regardless of where readers stand, the online community has jumped on the moment, highlighting how fiercely some New Englanders defend their morning (or afternoon, or evening, or midnight) brew. The exchange has spawned a slew of memes referencing the Boston Tea Party and the American Revolution.
https://www.boston.com/food/food-news/2026/03/05/rfk-jr-responds-to-uproar-after-singling-out-dunkin-for-sugary-drinks/