Supporters wearing MAGA hats listen as U.S. President Donald Trump speaks onstage during a memorial service for slain conservative commentator Charlie Kirk at State Farm Stadium, in Glendale, Arizona, U.S., September 21, 2025. REUTERS/Caitlin O'Hara

Major U.S. food and beverage companies are orchestrating a campaign to pit President Donald Trump’s MAGA base against Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement. The effort aims to derail initiatives that seek to limit soda and ultra-processed food consumption, the Guardian reported Sunday.

The strategy involves a network of Republican-aligned operatives and influencers to influence state-level legislation aimed at reducing soda consumption and restricting ultra-processed foods in public programs.

The American Beverage Association (ABA) and the Consumer Brands Association, representing giants like Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Nestlé, are leading the charge, per the report.

These trade groups have identified MAHA-backed policies, such as banning petroleum-based food dyes in schools and restricting SNAP benefits for sugary drinks, as significant threats to their profits. They have mobilized a mix of lobbyists, conservative media, and paid influencers to oppose these measures.

The report noted that in Arizona, lobbyist Michael Gardner contacted lawmakers to argue against a SNAP restriction bill, citing a poll suggesting Trump voters opposed such measures.

The poll was conducted by Public Opinion Strategies, a firm with ties to GOP strategist Phil Cox's network, GP3 Partners.

Similarly, Erin Raden of the Consumer Brands Association used a right-wing news outlet's article to persuade an Arizona senator to oppose a school meal bill.

The campaign also enlisted MAGA-aligned influencers through Influenceable LLC, a firm known for promoting conservative messages. These influencers were directed to post content opposing MAHA policies, framing them as government overreach that would harm working-class families.

One influencer, Eric Daugherty, wrote on the social platform X, “We cannot allow ‘Make America Healthy Again’ messaging to be used to force needy Americans into not buying certain things,” echoing the industry's narrative.

The report noted that while these efforts have largely stalled at the federal level, they have found more success in state legislatures.

Twelve states have received waivers to restrict SNAP purchases, and several have passed laws limiting food dyes in school meals.

The report also noted that the Trump administration has occasionally pushed back against the notion that MAHA’s agenda conflicts with its base.

After Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) applied for a SNAP waiver, the ABA labeled Sanders and USDA head Brooke Rollins as the “food police” on X.

Rollins responded, stating, “It’s disappointing that the American Beverage Association’s leadership dragged its entire membership—and the patriotic American workers and their families they employ and represent—into direct conflict with this Administration’s priorities for American health, well-being, and taxpayer protection.”