There were executive orders to sign, seditionists to pardon, international agreements to withdraw from. But perhaps the most important thing on Donald Trump’s first day as president was to have the Diet Coke button reinstalled in the Oval Office.
The Wall Street Journal reported the valet button, which the president used to order Diet Cokes during his first term, already had been reinstalled Monday even before he was sworn into office. Another story said he was reported to drink around a dozen Diet Cokes a day in 2018, though it is unknown if he maintains that habit.
The Coca-Cola Co. apparently hopes he does. James Quincey, Coke’s chairman and CEO, presented the president with a commemorative Diet Coke bottle with Trump’s name and the inauguration date.
"Since 2005 — when President George W. Bush took office — our company has commemorated each U.S. presidential inauguration with a limited-edition Coca‑Cola bottle," the company said in an email to Food Processing. "We continue the tradition as James Quincey ... had the opportunity to present President-Elect Donald J. Trump with a custom bottle of Diet Coke, his beverage of choice."
The past five presidents all got regular Coke; Trump received the first Diet Coke bottle.
The Washington Examiner said the commemorative bottle came with a note that says: "Founded 126 years ago in Atlanta, Georgia, The Coca-Cola Company takes great pride in producing hundreds of brands that people enjoy. Along with our 60+ independent bottling partners, the Coca-Cola system generates $58+ billion in U.S. economic activity annually and supports more than 860,000 jobs in the United States."
Perhaps some subtle lobbying considering Trump’s nominee for Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has Big Food in his crosshairs.
PHOTO AT TOP: Those are the commemorative Coke bottles presented to every president since George W. Bush at far left. The red one in the middle is from Trump's first inauguration Jan. 20, 2017; the one at far right is this year's, the only Diet Coke.