Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has become the most senior Republican yet to swallow wildly disputed claims about the health benefits of drinking “raw milk” straight from the udder.
In an Oct. 6 tweet, Greene wrote, “Raw milk does a body good,” adding. “Make America Healthy Again.” She include a photo of a glass half full with custard-colored liquid.
Her claim immediately prompted X’s fact checking bot to slap a disclaimer below the tweet that said: “Raw milk consumption is linked to a number of foodborne illnesses (e.g., Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium, E. coli, Listeria, Brucella, and Salmonella) that can result in serious complications and death.”
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The bot also included nearly a dozen articles and links to health agencies warning about the dangers of consuming raw milk. But Greene isn’t the only Republican who has jumped on the raw milk dairy train.
“Dark MAGA” emissary Scott Presler hinted at his support of the raw milk movement in a speech at Donald Trump’s second rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on Oct. 5.
In a Oct. 2022 speech at a Knoxville event, RFK Jr. declared that he “only” drinks raw milk, leading many to wonder if that might have been responsible for the worm in his brain.
In June 2024 post, “cuteservative” influencer Alex Clark unveiled the newest way that the right-wing can own liberals while giving the finger to the FDA: raw milk T-shirts.
“We’ve seen how the @Evie_Magazine sundress broke the internet—Now let me introduce you to my ‘got raw milk’ crop top with @TPUSA which is triggering the left. 🥛,” she wrote on X. “Imagine shilling for pasteurized milk, zapped of nutrients, when you could have immune boosting raw milk.”
She added, “🖕🏼the FDA and look hot doing it.”
The Washington Post reported that those who consume raw milk may face risks of contracting bird flu.
“It doesn’t make any sense to be drinking unpasteurized milk at this stage,” said Richard J. Webby, a virologist at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. “Not everyone who drinks virus-laden milk is probably going to get infected with that virus. But, from my perspective, it’s a chance I’m certainly not going to take.”
Social media commentators under MTG’s post also seemed unconvinced about drinking raw milk.
“How did this even become a culture war issue? what’s next, is maga going to start refusing to wash their hands after touching raw chicken to own the libs?” wrote one commentator.
Another added, “Eating actual s--t might be healthier. Raw milk contains bacteria that can cause severe or life-threatening diseases like Guillain-Barré syndrome, hemolytic uremic syndrome, meningitis, kidney failure, and paralysis. Drink up, Marge!”
