When Jillian Michaels—America’s no-nonsense fitness guru—starts sounding like a policy hawk, you know something serious is going on with our food supply. This isn’t just another celebrity spouting off about kale smoothies. Michaels is joining the growing chorus of Americans, left and right, who are fed up with a system that allows dangerous chemicals into our food while the federal government drags its feet—yet again.
In an interview following her speech at Turning Point USA’s Student Action Summit, Michaels didn’t mince words: “I would like to see a hell of a lot more banned from our food supply than just red number 40.” She’s right—and it’s about time we start listening.
The FDA recently banned Red 3, a synthetic dye found in everything from candy to medicine. Why? Because it’s been linked to cancer. And here’s the kicker: food manufacturers have until 2027 to phase it out. That’s right—your kids will still be eating this toxic dye for another two years. Drug manufacturers? They get until 2028. If that doesn’t scream government dysfunction, I don’t know what does.
Red 3 is just one of several synthetic dyes made from petroleum—yes, crude oil—that are still widely used in food products. Think about that. We ban kids from drinking soda in some schools, but we allow them to eat petroleum-based dyes in their snacks. Welcome to the bureaucratic absurdity that is the Food and Drug Administration.
And don’t think this is just about one dye. The Department of Health and Human Services has announced plans to eliminate six more synthetic dyes—FD&C Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5, Blue No. 1, and others—by the end of next year. But again, these are baby steps, dragged out over years, while Americans—especially children—continue to consume chemicals that Europe and other developed nations banned long ago.
Jillian Michaels is calling it like it is: Big Ag, Big Food, Big Pharma, and Big Insurance are running the show. “The MAHA movement, they’re up against four of the biggest lobbies in the country,” she said, referring to the Make America Healthy Again initiative. She’s right—these industries aren’t just powerful; they’re protected by layers of red tape and bought-off politicians who’d rather protect profits than public health.
This isn’t about left or right. This is about common sense. Americans deserve clean food, honest labeling, and a regulatory system that moves faster than a snail when it comes to protecting public health. The fact that a fitness expert has to get on a stage at a conservative youth summit to sound the alarm says everything you need to know about Washington’s priorities.
Michaels also spoke in favor of exploring alternative treatments for veterans and addicts, including medical psychedelics. That’s a conversation worth having. But more importantly, she emphasized personal responsibility—something conservatives have always championed. “You can create [change] in your own life by taking agency,” she said. That’s the message every American needs to hear: the government won’t save you, and neither will the FDA. You have to fight for your health—starting with what you put on your plate.
Let’s be clear: this is about more than just food coloring. It’s about whether the American government is willing to stand up to powerful lobbies and prioritize the health of its citizens. It’s about whether we continue to allow petrochemical companies to dictate what’s “safe” for our children to eat. It’s about whether we’ve lost our backbone as a nation.
President Trump has always stood for putting America first. That means putting American health first. If the FDA is unwilling to act with urgency, it’s time for real leadership to step in and clean house. We need a top-to-bottom overhaul of the agencies that were supposed to protect us—and instead protected the profits of multinational food conglomerates.
Jillian Michaels is sounding an alarm. Conservatives would be wise to hear it—not just as a health warning, but as a call to reclaim control over our own bodies, our own choices, and our own government.
Because if we can’t even clean up what’s on our dinner tables, what exactly are we doing as a nation?
Jillian Michaels says as M&M’s and Skittles fight MAHA and refuse to drop harmful dyes, parents should stop buying them.
She urges families to choose safer candy alternatives instead.
“My advice here is vote with your dollars.”
“There are candy companies that are gonna remove… pic.twitter.com/3iJeaL31D9
— End Tribalism in Politics (@EndTribalism) July 10, 2025