Too Much of Everything? How Trump’s Diet Far Exceeds Dietary Guidelines

President Donald J. Trump's diet may not be for the faint-hearted, and definitely not for those who try to limit their sugar, sodium, and fat intake. We analyzed Trump's daily meals and what impact they could have on a person's health.

At 78 years old, President Trump became the oldest person to be inaugurated president. The candidates' age and health were common concerns during the presidential campaign, although most of the criticism was directed at Trump’s initial opponent, former President Joe Biden.

Diet undoubtedly plays an important role in determining health, especially in aging individuals. It is recommended that older adults limit foods high in unhealthy fats and avoid empty calories.

Trump, a well-known fast food aficionado, doesn't seem to follow these guidelines and appears to be sharing his love for highly processed foods with others. In 2019, he hosted Clemson University's football team in the White House and greeted college football champions with McDonald's, Wendy's, and Burger King sandwiches served on silver trays.

Health Secretary nominee John Kennedy Jr., a fierce critic of fast food, came under fire after Donald Trump Jr. shared a photo of himself, Kennedy Jr, tech mogul Elon Musk, and Trump eating McDonald's on the private plane of the then-candidate Trump.

Using public sources, the Healthnews research team took a closer look at Trump’s preferred meal plan and analyzed whether it follows nutrition guidelines. The results suggest that the President’s diet may need some revamping.

What does Trump's diet look like?

According to various reports, Trump often skips breakfast and instead fuels himself with his beloved Diet Coke, drinking up to 12 cans a day. In fact, on his second day in office, Trump revived the Diet Coke button on the Oval Office desk, which summons White House staff to deliver cans of Diet Coke.

The President usually fasts between 14 to 16 hours a day, according to a book written by Corey Lewandowski, his former campaign manager. However, when Trump does eat breakfast, he chooses bacon and eggs, as stated in his 2016 interview.

According to reports, Trump's lunch often includes meatloaf or steak with ketchup.

Dinner is when Trump indulges in fast food, including Doritos, Big Macs, and Filet-o-Fish sandwiches. He also seems to be a fan of KFC — in 2016, a viral photo of Trump, still a GOP nominee, showed him with a bucket of KFC eating what appears to be fried chicken on his private plane.

The Healthnews team analyzed the nutritional value of Donald Trump’s diet, focusing on a day when he indulges more than usual and includes breakfast.

On such 'feast days,' his diet consists of:

  • Breakfast: bacon and eggs.

  • Lunch: a very well-done steak with ketchup.

  • Dinner: two Big Macs, two Filet-O-Fish sandwiches, and a small milkshake.

  • Snacks: a bag of Doritos.

  • Drinks: 12 cans of Diet Coke throughout the day.

Here’s a detailed nutritional breakdown of his meal choices:

Read the full methodology here.

Is Trump's diet healthy?

The total consumed calories from the given daily foods and beverages in Trump's daily meals are 4,653 kcal.

This number exceeds the United States dietary guidelines recommendations, which estimate that men 76 years old and older need around 2,000–2,400 kcal per day, depending on their physical activity level.

Doctors are unlikely to recommend such a diet, as consuming too many calories long-term can lead to weight gain, obesity, and related diseases, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Moreover, most of Trump's beloved foods are ultra-processed and contain high levels of sugar, sodium, saturated fats, and even trans fats, all of which may harm health if consumed long-term.

In 2023, Trump's personal physician, Bruce Aronwald, released a note stating that the President had reduced his weight through an improved diet and continued daily physical activity. This suggests that Trump's calorie intake may have been reduced in recent years.

Sugar intake is too high

Trump consumes around 19 teaspoons (79 grams) of added sugar per day, which significantly exceeds the daily limits, according to the Healthnews analysis.

The U.S. dietary guidelines recommend limiting added sugar to no more than 10% of the total daily calorie intake. In a 2,000–2,400 kcal diet, this should equate to 12.5–15 teaspoons (50–60 grams) of added sugar per day.

As Diet Coke doesn't contain any added sugar, most of it in Trump's diet comes from milkshakes, a serving of which has about 54 g of added sugar.

Consuming too much added sugar can contribute to health problems such as weight gain and obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

Individuals with low physical activity levels should consider the lower added sugar limit. During his first term, Trump played golf an average of 71 times a year, or once every five days, which may not be a sufficient physical activity level for such high added sugar consumption.

Sodium should be reduced

An average American consumes too much sodium, and while Trump is by no means an average guy, his diet is no exception, with 6,419 mg of sodium daily.

According to USDA guidelines, men 51 years old and older should consume no more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day. However, the American Heart Association guidelines suggest a limit of 1,500 mg per day, with an ideal daily goal of no more than 1,000 mg per day.

The President would definitely benefit from slashing his high sodium intake, which mostly comes from Big Macs, Doritos, and Filet-o-Fish sandwiches. By consuming less sodium, he could reduce his risk of high blood pressure, a risk factor for heart disease and stroke.

Too much unhealthy fats

Saturated fat is highly prevalent in the President's daily meals, contributing to the daily intake of 68 grams.

The U.S. dietary guidelines recommend that no more than 10% of daily calorie intake would come from saturated fats. In a 2,000–2,400 kcal diet, this would equate to 50–60 grams of saturated fat per day.

It means that Trump's daily intake significantly exceeds the recommended limit for highly physically active people, and if the President isn't participating in daily physical activities, doctors may suggest eating fewer Big Macs.

Trump's daily dietary routine may also include around 4 grams of trans fats, which should be limited to as low as possible without compromising the nutritional adequacy of the diet, according to the U.S. dietary guidelines.

Long-term trans fatty acid intake is associated with health problems like increased cholesterol levels, which lead to a higher risk of coronary heart disease. Moreover, consuming a lot of trans fat can raise the risk of atherosclerosis or the thickening or hardening of the arteries, which can cause stroke.

Caffeine intake may disrupt sleep

Reports suggest that Trump drinks up to 12 cans of Diet Coke per day. Since each 12-ounce serving contains 46 mg of caffeine, that would equal his daily caffeine intake to around 552 mg. Still, the President's caffeine intake could be higher if he consumes other caffeinated beverages, such as coffee.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a person can consume up to 400 mg of caffeine daily without experiencing adverse health effects. However, children, people with certain health conditions, or those who take specific medications, can be sensitive to caffeine's effects.

Even in those who are not sensitive, too much caffeine can cause symptoms such as heart palpitations, increased heart rate, and high blood pressure. High intake can also lead to disrupted sleep or insomnia.

Reports from 2018 suggest that Trump sleeps a mere four to five hours per night, much less than the seven to nine hours recommended by experts. Consuming less caffeine could potentially help increase his sleep duration and quality.

According to the U.S. dietary guidelines, protein should account for 10–35% of a person's daily calorie intake, and people 51 years old or older should consume around 56 grams of protein per day. Trump's preferences for foods like steak, Big Macs, and bacon mean his protein intake could hover around 184 grams per day, which is higher than recommended.

Disclaimer
Daily protein intake needs depend on individual factors, including activity level, age, muscle mass, body composition, health status, and medical conditions. Thus, guidelines act only as potential estimates and general advice.

Some research suggests that long-term consumption of high levels of protein may be associated with bone disorders, kidney or liver function issues, and increased cancer risks.

While Trump's protein intake likely varies daily, consuming less could reduce the risk of these and other adverse effects.

Fiber is lacking

According to dietary guidelines, individuals should consume around 14 grams of dietary fiber per 1,000 kcal daily. So, for a person with a daily calorie intake of 2,000–2,400 kcal, this would equal 28–34 grams of fiber per day.

Since Trump's diet appears to lack fiber-rich foods like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, it's not surprising that his fiber intake, likely around 15 grams daily, falls below dietary guidelines.

Research suggests that a low-fiber diet may contribute to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and colorectal cancer.

Swapping his preferred milkshake for a high-fiber smoothie or adding fiber-rich foods like legumes and fresh produce could increase this critical nutrient in Trump's daily diet.

Trump may lack certain nutrients

While it's unclear whether Trump takes a daily multivitamin, his food choices indicate he may have an imbalance in specific nutrients.

For example, Trump's daily diet provides him with around 1,283 mg of calcium, which aligns with the 1,200 mg per day recommended by dietary guidelines.

However, Trump runs the risk of having high iron and potassium intake. If he consistently follows his suggested food list, his daily iron intake would be 24 mg, and he would get 3,773 mg of potassium. Dietary recommendations suggest that daily iron intake should be 8 mg, and potassium should fall around 3,400 mg per day.

Still, high iron intake may not necessarily have a negative impact on a person if they get it strictly through food. But for some, consuming too much can lead to iron accumulating in the body, which may negatively impact health.

Though the kidneys help remove excess potassium, elevated potassium levels in the blood can lead to heart issues, such as palpitations or even heart attacks.

While Trump's preferred diet may be providing an excess of some nutrients, vitamin D is not one of them. Healthnews' analysis found that the President may be getting only around 2 mcg of the sunshine vitamin per day through food sources. This is far below the 600 IU or 15 mcg experts recommend.

In adults, vitamin D deficiency can lead to bone-related conditions such as osteoporosis, fractures, and muscle weakness.

The takeaway

Overall, the analysis showed that President Trump's diet may lack critical nutrients and provide excessive calories, saturated fat, sodium, and added sugar. These findings suggest that the President's food preferences may not align with his Make America Healthy Again agenda, which promotes the need to address root causes of chronic disease, including poor diet.

Still, any positive dietary changes, no matter how small, can help improve an individual's health and well-being. Whether Trump plans to choose healthier and more nutrient-dense foods is unclear. However, for the American people, making America healthy again could begin in the Oval Office with Trump leading by example.

Methodology

While some sources have reported on the daily portion sizes of specific foods and beverages consumed by Trump, it is important to note that the accuracy of these portion sizes has not been verified.

Additionally, details regarding the types of foods, such as the variety of ketchup, dips, seasonings used with the meals, and type of meat used for the steaks, remain unspecified, which may result in variations in the nutritional values depending on the exact items consumed.

The nutritional values for the individual foods and beverages included in the President’s daily meals were primarily sourced from official product websites and the USDA Food Database. For foods and beverages where exact portion sizes could not be determined, typical average serving sizes were used to estimate nutritional intake. This includes items such as eggs and bacon, commonly cited as part of the President’s breakfast.

Additional decisions were made regarding the selection of food products. While it is not explicitly stated that the President prefers caffeinated Diet Coke, some sources do indicate that he consumes caffeine. Therefore, the caffeinated version of Diet Coke was selected.

Similarly, as it is frequently reported that the President opts for a bag of Doritos, a bigger (sharing-size) bag was chosen instead of individual serving packs due to mentions of snacking this snack throughout the day.

The gathered nutritional information of each meal was summed and compared with the American Dietary Guidelines 2025.

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