What Donald Trump Drinks In A Day

Staying properly hydrated might seem like an afterthought for many people's busy lives, including Donald Trump. Although people's hydration needs vary, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics says most men need about 13 cups of fluid a day to keep their bodies functioning well. Women need about 9 cups. While the optimal choice for hydration is water, you can meet your hydration needs from juices, teas, milk, and even caffeinated drinks.

Donald Trump satisfies his thirst by drinking Diet Coke. He reportedly drinks 12 cans of Diet Coke a day. What about water? "I've never seen him drink water. Ever," Trump friend and UFC CEO Dana White said in an interview with Tucker Carlson (via Newsweek).

(Read what happens when you drink Diet Coke every day.)

It's no surprise that Diet Coke and similar beverages have a moderate amount of caffeine. Some sodas have more or less, but Diet Coke has 34 milligrams of caffeine per 12-ounce can. If Trump does drink 12 Diet Cokes a day, that adds up to 408 milligrams of caffeine every day. Is that safe? Let's take a closer look at the health effects of that much caffeine and what Trump doesn't drink that could make him healthier.

You or someone you know might easily go through several cups of coffee in a day. An 8-ounce cup of coffee has about 95 milligrams of caffeine, which is like drinking about three Diet Cokes. Even though you can find a Donald Trump Roast coffee blend, Trump himself isn't known to drink coffee or tea. So even if Trump drinks 12 cans of Diet Coke every day, that amount of caffeine isn't much more than a few cups of coffee.

A 2017 systematic review in Food and Chemical Toxicology looked at almost 400 studies focused on the adverse effects of caffeine. In healthy adults, consuming 400 milligrams of caffeine a day isn't linked to cardiovascular, behavioral, and reproductive health problems, though there may be some long-term side effects of caffeine, such as dependency, dehydration, bone loss, insomnia, anxiety, and depression.

The caffeine from 12 Diet Cokes might help Trump stave off cognitive decline, especially since his father Fred had Alzheimer's disease (per The Washington Post). A 2020 systematic review in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease found that caffeine can reduce the risk of cognitive decline. Caffeine also has a beneficial effect on people who already have dementia or some type of cognitive impairment. However, most of these studies focused on caffeine sources such as coffee and tea rather than Diet Coke.

One habit of Trump's that definitely benefits his health is abstaining from alcohol. In a 2017 speech urging young people to avoid drugs, Trump said he doesn't drink because his older brother Freddy continually warned against it. "To this day, I've never had a drink," he said. "I have no longing for it. I have no interest in it." Trump's brother died of a heart attack due to his alcohol use disorder.

Alcohol use comes with many health risks. The former Surgeon General wants to raise awareness of alcohol's effect on cancer, urging Congress to add a warning to current alcohol labels. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that long-term alcohol use is also linked to high blood pressure, heart and liver disease, and a weakened immune system.

Almost two-thirds of people in the United States drink alcohol, according to a 2023 Gallup study. Although past research showed that moderate drinking is associated with better health and longevity, a 2024 analysis in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs found that some of these studies didn't consider those who gave up alcohol due to health problems. Overall, moderate drinking doesn't confer any health benefits.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).