Fact check: RFK Jr. Is Banning Diet Coke

1. Summary of the results

1. Summary of the results:

The claim that RFK Jr. is banning Diet Coke is false. The story originated from a parody X account (@RFKJrHealthSec) that posted a satirical message on December 4, 2024, which received 9.5 million views. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s actual X account (@RobertKennedyJr) made no such announcement.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints:

• RFK Jr. has been nominated by Donald Trump as HHS Secretary and awaits Senate confirmation
• Kennedy has previously criticized processed foods and Trump's diet specifically, calling campaign food "poison"
• Ironically, Trump was known to consume up to 12 Diet Cokes daily during his presidency
• Kennedy was recently photographed drinking Coca-Cola with Trump, contradicting the narrative
• U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell and others initially believed the parody post, highlighting how easily misinformation can spread

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement:

• The statement presents a parody post as factual news, failing to verify the source
• It capitalizes on Kennedy's known stance against processed foods to make the fake claim seem more credible
• The confusion was amplified by the parody account using similar profile images to Kennedy's real account
• The timing of the viral post during Kennedy's HHS Secretary nomination process suggests potential political motivations to either mock or discredit him
• Both critics and supporters of Kennedy could benefit from spreading this misinformation: critics to mock his health-focused positions, supporters to portray him as taking strong action against unhealthy products