Trumpworld's new eyebrow-raising addiction that even health boss RFK Jr admits to using daily

By JON MICHAEL RAASCH, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT Published: 23:41, 19 May 2026 | Updated: 23:41, 19 May 2026 Donald Trump's administration may be addicted.  The consuming craving: nicotine pouches from the popular tobacco-free product Zyn, an oral substance that poses itself as a healthier alternative than chewing tobacco.  The sleek disk-like containers are ubiquitous throughout the administration. Employees across the various departments have been partaking, noting the pouches' mentally invigorating effects.  From the White House to the Department of Commerce and beyond, staffers can be seen carrying the tins close for whenever they need a dose. They are so popular that even Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr swears by them.  'Nicotine pouches are probably the safest way to consume nicotine,' he told a Brazilian radio host last year.  He also appeared to pop in a pouch during his confirmation hearing last year some keen internet sleuths pointed out at the time.   His wife, actress Cheryl Hines, urged Kennedy to use the products after touting her past use of nicotine gum on set to stay alert, the Wall Street Journal reports.  Nicotine pouches have become a popular product for Trump administration staffers  Internet sleuths have claimed that HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy popped a nicotine pouch in his mouth during his confirmation hearing, shown above  RFK was spotted allegedly putting in a nicotine pouch at a White house event Zyns have become so notorious that when Trump met with executives from the tobacco industry, he reportedly rang up Kennedy to ask what products his HHS chief used. Trump appeared interested in the products during he meeting, sources told the Journal, and soon after the President said he wants to see more pouches authorized.  The FDA later approved policies to allow more vape and pouch products to hit American shelves.   'The only guiding factor behind the Trump administration’s health policymaking is Gold Standard Science,' White House spokesman Kush Desai said. 'FDA’s regulatory treatment of nicotine pouches is rooted in recent evidence that has found that nicotine pouches can help adults quit smoking.' According to the Journal, nicotine pouches were readily available for Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) workers as they plowed through paperwork and worked long shifts. 'People are living on Celsius, Monster and Zyn,' a former Trump administration official told the Journal.  Former Fox News host and conservative pundit Tucker Carlson has also shilled for Zyn, noting in a 2023 show with comedian Theo Von 'you've gotta try this product, it's unbelievable.'  Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer held a press conference in January 2024 lambasting nicotine products  Carlson later turned on the brand after starting his own rival nicotine pouch company, called Alp.  Though not all politicos are in favor of the new nicotine trend.  Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer held a press conference in January 2024 lambasting nicotine products, calling them dangerous.   Nicotine pouch sales have boomed in the past five years, going from 4 percent of the oral nicotine market in 2019 to 44 percent in 2024, according to a 2025 report from JAMA, a medical publication.  Though they pose less risks than traditional tobacco products, there are still cardiovascular effects that pose concern to researchers.  The comments below have not been moderated. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.