U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is not letting up on Dunkin’.
In an X post on March 4, Kennedy asked whether a drink containing 180 grams of sugar from Dunkin’ is reasonable. The post was made in response to Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, who earlier in the day shared a photo on X of the 1835 “Come and Take It” flag, first used at the start of the Texas Revolution, with a Dunkin’ cup added.
“No one is taking away your Dunkin’,” Kennedy responded. “But isn’t it reasonable to ask whether a drink loaded with 180 grams of sugar is safe?”
Healey’s post came after an Eat Real Food Rally in Austin, Texas, on Feb. 26, where Kennedy said he has plans to press coffee chains like Dunkin’ and Starbucks to prove their ingredients are safe.
“Show us the safety data that shows that it’s OK for a teenage girl to drink an iced coffee with 115 grams of sugar in it,” Kennedy said during the rally. “I don’t think they’re gonna be able to do it.”
Kennedy’s stabs at coffee chains like Dunkin’ come after the secretary announced new U.S. Dietary Guidelines in January, which call for more protein, less sugar and fewer ultra-processed foods.
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Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services, testifies about the health care agenda for the Trump administration in front of the Senate Committee on Finance in Washington, D.C., on September 4, 2025.
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Do any Dunkin’ drinks contain 180 grams of sugar?
Per the Dunkin’ nutritional guide on the coffee chain’s website, no drinks on the menu contain 180 grams of sugar.
The drinks with the highest sugar content, a large Butter Pecan Swirl Frozen Coffee with skim milk and a large Caramel Creme Frozen Coffee, contain 172 grams of sugar, according to the guide.
Kennedy’s X post came about a week after Dunkin’ customers in Massachusetts and New Hampshire were able to purchase 48-ounce beverage buckets, per previous USA TODAY reporting. According to a social media post, customers could order a Strawberry Dragonfruit Lemonade Refresher, a Blueberry Cobbler Iced Latte or a Caramel Coco Iced Coffee in the beverage buckets.
When contacted by USA TODAY on March 6, Dunkin’ did not immediately respond for clarification on the amount of sugar in drinks offered in its 48-ounce buckets. For reference, however, a large Strawberry Dragonfruit Lemonade Refresher contains 72 grams of sugar, and a large Blueberry Cobbler Iced Latte contains 50 grams of sugar, according to the chain’s nutritional guide. A large iced drink at Dunkin’ is 32 ounces.
Contributing: Fernando Cervantes Jr. and Melina Khan, USA TODAY
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: RFK Jr. questions Dunkin’ safety. How much sugar is in its drinks?
