RFK Jr. Takes On Massachusetts Treasure Dunkin’ Donuts. Governor Maura Healey Responds: “Come and Take It”

Photos of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Dunkin’ Donuts Coffee. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. Edited and combined by BPR writer Kaanan Morales.

As a part of his “Make America Healthy Again” movement, U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has sparked a controversy that goes beyond nutrition, pitting federal regulation against longstanding coffee icons like Dunkin’. Kennedy said Dunkin’ and other companies will now need to prove their ingredients are safe for consumption.

During a “Take Back Your Health” tour rally in Brazos Hall in Austin, Texas, Kennedy targeted the coffee chain, saying, “We’re going to ask Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks, ‘Show us the safety data that show that it’s OK for a teenage girl to drink an iced coffee with 115 grams of sugar in it.'”

In response to Kennedy’s attack on this New England favorite, Governor Maura Healey (D-MA) posted a rendition of the “Come and Take It” flag on X, which was used in 1835 during the Battle of Gonzales amidst the Texas Revolution. Governor Healey’s post drew significant media attention to Kennedy’s comments.

After receiving backlash on his comments about Dunkin’, the Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement to USA Today that Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s focus is ensuring the U.S.’s food supply is “transparent and grounded in rigorous science.” This statement was issued in response to the public backlash his comments on Dunkin’ and other companies brought.

The new regulation requiring safety data for products stems from the closure of the GRAS loophole, which allowed companies to self-authenticate the safety of food without direct FDA oversight. Congress established a longstanding loophole in 1958 with the Food Additives Amendment. Then the FDA established a voluntary notification system. This allowed companies to determine whether an ingredient is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) and decide whether to inform the FDA.

A press statement released by MAHA Action, Kennedy’s nonprofit health advocacy group, described the reforms as aiming “to ensure American foods follow the highest safety and nutritional standards globally.” The agency stated to the Washington Post, “Americans deserve to know what is in their food and to have confidence that ingredients are evaluated through a clear, science‑based process.”

This challenge to Dunkin’ is the latest move in Kennedy’s broader campaign to dismantle the U.S. industrial food complex. In early January, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins released the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines via press statement.

They revealed the “Eat Real Food” Pyramid, which explicitly warns against processed foods and promotes the “real food” standard, advising on the amounts of protein, dairy, vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and healthy fats to consume each day. Unlike the classic depiction of the American food pyramid that emphasized the priority of grains and carbohydrates, the 2026 version warns against ultra-processed foods and advises Americans to consume healthy fats daily.

Kennedy has framed this initiative as more than a diet; he has called it a matter of national security. He points to the increasing rates of chronic illness, prediabetes, and obesity among adolescents as a direct threat to the country’s longstanding economic stability and military readiness.

For almost 50 years, the U.S. government has been criticized for maintaining a constant flow between regulatory agencies and powerful food lobbies. The classic American food pyramid mentioned earlier was heavily influenced by the sugar and grain industries.

Kennedy’s aggressive stance on this issue is a 180-degree turn in U.S. federal government policy. By targeting sugars in chains like Dunkin’ and Starbucks, he is waging war on the classic American diet.

However, the backlash Kennedy has faced from Governor Healy shows the unique political challenge Kennedy faces: culture vs. health. In America, what we decide to eat and drink is often tied to our sense of freedom. Kennedy’s challenging of popular chains like Dunkin’ and Starbucks questions a consumer’s right to choose.

Historically, the “Come and Take It” flag has symbolized a fight for sovereignty. In 2026, the same meaning still holds, but we see it used in drive-thrus across America rather than on a battlefield. While Kennedy aims to use “rigorous science” to fix the health system, he is finding that in a court of public opinion, a New Englander’s love for their coffee may be stronger than any federal mandate his cabinet issues.

​While Kennedy’s MAHA movement can successfully change the classic American plate, it remains to be seen whether New Englanders made it clear to Kennedy, “Come and Take It.”