Feb 23, 2026 minute read

A professor at New York University is accusing the federal government’s endorsement of whole milk in schools of being “racist.”

Arthur Caplan, a bioethics professor at NYU, critizied The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, which President Donald Trump signed into law on January 14. In a blog post, Caplan claimed that whole milk has been used as a symbol by white supremacists.

“Nazis were enamored of whole milk as well,” he wrote. “I am suspicious. Milk drinking is political. Drinking whole white milk has played a big role in racist and far-right thinking. In America, drinking whole milk has for years been a part of alt-right, white nationalist messaging in tweets, memes, and videos.”

“Images of white people chugging milk are popular on racist sites, e.g., ‘If you can’t drink milk, you have to go back,’” he added.

The comments drew immediate pushback. A spokesperson for the US Department of Agriculture told The New York Post. “Our government is taking bold steps to strengthen school nutrition, including the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, which would bring whole milk back to school cafeterias.”

“To suggest otherwise is completely false,” the spokesperson added. 

Fellow bioethicist Wesley J. Smith also dismissed Caplan’s argument, sarcastically writing in National Review, “One of the honored guests at the Oval Office signing ceremony of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act — mentioned in passing by Caplan, which put whole milk back on school menus — was that notorious white supremacist Dr. Ben Carson.”

“Seriously, this is idiotic,” Smith added. “Sometimes whole milk is just whole milk.”