Dr. Oz walked onto Air Force One recently and found the President of the United States drinking a Fanta Orange.

What happened next is the kind of thing that sounds made up until you remember who we're talking about.

Oz, who runs the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and has become one of Trump's closest health advisers, confronted Trump about the soda. Trump responded with a sheepish grin and a theory. Diet soda kills grass when you pour it on it — therefore it must kill cancer cells inside the body. So really, drinking it is practically medicinal.

He also defended the Fanta specifically by pointing out that it's made with orange juice from concentrate.

"Fresh squeezed," as the president apparently put it.

Oz shared all of this during an appearance on Donald Trump Jr.'s podcast Triggered on April 13, seemingly caught somewhere between exasperation and genuine amusement.

Don Jr., to his credit, offered a counterpoint — noting that his father is pushing 80 with energy and stamina most guys his age don't have. Which isn't exactly a scientific defense of Fanta but it's something.

This Is Not a New Thing

Trump's relationship with junk food and diet soda is one of the better documented aspects of his personal life. During his first term, he had a red button installed on his desk that summoned Diet Coke on demand. When he returned to office in January, the button reportedly came back with him.

Coca-Cola, which also owns Fanta, marked the occasion by gifting Trump a custom 8-ounce glass bottle of Diet Coke at the inauguration — a tradition the company has kept for every president since George W. Bush's second term.

It's not the first time Trump has floated an improvised health theory. In 2020 he suggested injecting disinfectants might kill COVID-19, calling the idea "interesting" in front of reporters.

Former aides wrote in their 2017 book that Trump's private plane operated on four food groups — McDonald's, KFC, pizza, and Diet Coke. That was nearly a decade ago, and by all accounts the diet hasn't evolved much since.

Trump has actually defended his junk food habits on germaphobe grounds, which is its own kind of logic. Large chain restaurants have quality control. You know what you're getting. The food is consistent. Better that than some unknown kitchen, in his view.

"I'm a very clean person. I like cleanliness," he told CNN back in 2016. "And I think you're better off going there than someplace that you maybe have no idea where the food is coming from."

The Timing Is Something

All of this is happening while RFK Jr.'s Department of Health and Human Services is actively overhauling the nation's nutrition guidelines — pushing a new food pyramid that prioritizes whole foods, protein, vegetables, and dramatically reduced processed food consumption.

"American households must prioritize whole, nutrient-dense foods and dramatically reduce highly processed foods," Kennedy said in January. "This is how we Make America Healthy Again."

The president whose administration is telling the country to eat better is drinking Fanta on Air Force One and explaining to his health policy adviser that soda might be fighting his cancer cells.

To Be Clear — It Does Not Fight Cancer Cells

Diet soda killing grass is a result of its acidity affecting plant biology in a completely different way than anything that happens inside the human body. This is not a medically supported theory.

The White House did not respond to requests for comment on the president's apparent cancer cell hypothesis.

Curious for more stories that keep you informed and entertained? From the latest headlines to everyday insights, YourLifeBuzz has more to explore. Dive into what’s next.