By James Oliphant and Nathan Layne
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President-elect Donald Trump and his nominee to run the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., do not drink and have been outspoken about the dangers of alcohol.
But neither rushed on Friday to embrace the recommendation by the outgoing Biden administration that alcoholic beverages carry warning labels about cancer risk.
A combination of factors, including Republicans’ traditional resistance to regulation, a powerful industry lobby and the presence of top liquor companies in conservative states, make it unlikely the incoming administration would adopt the health suggestions in the near term.
The U.S. Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, urged the added warning, saying drinking increases the risk of developing several different kinds of cancer, including breast, colon and liver cancer.
Trump assumes the presidency on Jan. 20 and has yet to comment on the proposal, which would require an act of Congress. Kennedy also did not immediately weigh in.
Brian Darling, a Republican strategist and former senior aide to U.S. Senator Rand Paul, does not see the new Republican-controlled Congress approving adding a cancer-risk label to alcohol.
"I can't imagine that a Republican Congress would act like the nanny state and force labels on alcohol beverages saying that they may cause cancer," he said. "It just seems completely inconsistent with freedom and everything that the party stands for.”
Trump, whose brother died from alcoholism, has often spoken about the potential harmful effects of drinking. But his family’s business, now run by his sons, has made millions in the hospitality industry largely from the golf courses and hotels it owns around the world. His company also owns a 1,300-acre winery near Charlottesville, Virginia.
On the campaign trail, Trump vowed to slash government regulations that he claimed hamper growth.
"He's anti-alcohol, but he's pro-freedom," Darling said. "One of the reasons why they voted Trump into office was because they were sick of the federal government telling them what they can and cannot do.”
Republicans hold an edge in both chambers of Congress, which was sworn into office on Friday. It was not immediately clear whether Murthy’s proposal had widespread support.
'STAY THIRSTY'
The beer, wine and liquor industry is a formidable force. It contributed $24.9 million during the 2024 election cycle, according to data from OpenSecrets, a non-partisan group that tracks money in U.S. politics.
Slightly more than half of that, 50.3%, went to Republicans and 48.7% to Democrats. The biggest single recipient from 2023 to 2024 was Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, with $1.1 million donated. Trump was a distant second, receiving about $306,000.
Leading U.S. spirit-makers are based in conservative states dominated by Republicans, including Kentucky, Tennessee and Texas. Those states voted for Trump in large numbers. Their governors' offices did not reply to requests for comment about the surgeon general's recommendation.
Oscar Brock, a member of the Republican National Committee from Tennessee, said he didn't think Americans were ready to tackle the health risks of alcohol in the same way they took on tobacco years ago.
"It took us years to get warning labels on tobacco, years after we knew the hazardous effects," Brock said. "You know, we're certainly not going back to Prohibition."
Brock, whose state is home to Jack Daniel's whiskey and many other distillers, said the liquor lobby was perhaps the most influential in Tennessee, fueled by money from producers, wholesalers, distributors and retailers.
Texas, which is home to popular brands of tequila and vodka, passed a law expanding alcohol sales in 2021. Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, celebrated on social media by exclaiming, “Stay thirsty, my friends.”
Murthy also urged a reassessment of the guideline limits for alcohol consumption to account for cancer risk. In the U.S., there are about 100,000 alcohol-related cancer cases and about 20,000 alcohol-related cancer deaths annually.
Kennedy, who must be confirmed by the Senate, would oversee the Food and Drug Administration in his cabinet role and be in a position to influence the rewriting of dietary guidelines for Americans, including recommendations on alcohol intake. He has sworn off of alcohol and drugs after his past struggles with substance abuse and says he attends Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.
Murthy, who will leave his post when Trump takes office, could be succeeded by Janette Nesheiwat, a director of a New York chain of urgent care clinics and Trump's pick for surgeon general.
As a health expert who appeared periodically on Fox News, Nesheiwat advocated for limited alcohol consumption and praised young people for drinking less than older Americans. She also must be confirmed by the new Senate.