Why the Trump Administration Is Obsessed With Whole Milk
Milk is mundane in most contexts, but you can’t help noticing when it is smeared across the upper lips of America’s government officials. An image of Donald Trump sporting a milk mustache and glowering over a glass of milk was just one of many dairy-themed posts shared by government accounts on X during the past week, all of which made clear that the milk was whole. In one video, a seemingly AI-generated Robert F. Kennedy Jr. takes a sip and is transported to a nightclub, suddenly milk-mustachioed; in another, former Housing Secretary Ben Carson raises a glass of full-fat and sports a white ’stache. The upper lips of the former collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines and the former NBA player Enes Kantor Freedom, among other personalities embraced by the right, also got the whole-milk treatment.
TL;DR
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's updated Dietary Guidelines for Americans now recommend whole dairy over low-fat products.
- A new law signed by President Trump permits schools to serve whole milk after a decade of restrictions to low-fat options.
- Government officials, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Donald Trump, are promoting whole milk as a health benefit, arguing it provides essential nutrients.
- Medical professionals have expressed criticism due to concerns about saturated fat content, a long-standing association with health issues like cardiovascular disease.
- There is ongoing scientific debate regarding the health effects of saturated fat, with some newer studies questioning the superiority of low-fat dairy for health outcomes.
- The promotion of whole milk is seen as beneficial to the dairy industry, which has significant economic influence.
- The move towards whole milk is also linked to a cultural and political narrative of returning to an idealized, healthier past and promoting traditional American values.
- Historically, milk has been used in marketing and even in racist contexts to symbolize purity, strength, and a particular vision of national identity.