JD Vance has revealed that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Pushed him toward a far stricter regimen than he originally planned when the vice president called for dietary advice before Lent.
Vance, 42, fielded questions about his slimmer frame during a White House press briefing on Thursday after a reporter jokingly asked how much sauerkraut he consumes daily. The exchange prompted Vance to detail the phone call that reshaped his approach to eating and the protein-heavy diet that followed.
The vice president explained that he takes Lent seriously as a devout Christian and had settled on giving up sugar as his annual act of self-denial. On Fat Tuesday, the day before the Lenten season began, he phoned Kennedy to float the idea.
“I’m a devout Christian, so I try to take Lent very seriously, I try to do some kind of self-denial each year,” Vance said.
He recalled the conversation with Kennedy, 72, who serves as Secretary of Health and Human Services: “I know you’re really into health. I’m thinking about giving up sugar. What do you think?”
Kennedy’s response was immediate and dismissive of the modest proposal.
“No, no, no. I’ve got something that’s way better than that and way more intense,” Kennedy replied, according to Vance’s account.
The resulting diet centers on high-protein foods and abundant sauerkraut. Vance described the regimen in plain terms during the briefing.
“Basically, I eat a lot of high protein stuff and I eat a lot of sauerkraut,” he said.
Vance then turned the timing of his decision into a punchline about the diet’s rapid effects.
“And let’s just say, that if that was Fat Tuesday, Fat Wednesday never came,” he joked.
The vice president has previously denied using GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic, instead attributing his transformation to diet and exercise. He disclosed in 2024 that he had shed 30 pounds since his 2022 Ohio Senate campaign, and his continuing weight loss has remained a subject of public curiosity.
Vance’s advice to those considering a similar path carried his characteristic wit.
“My advice to you is that if you want to lose weight, call Bobby Kennedy. And if you want to enjoy what you eat, do not call Bobby Kennedy,” he said.
The “sauerkraut diet” has become associated with multiple members of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet. The Wall Street Journal has reported that Kennedy, Vance, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy were all following versions of the carnivore diet. The approach was developed by Dr. Sean O’Mara, who advocates for grass-fed steak and fermented vegetables including sauerkraut and kimchi. O’Mara contends the diet strengthens the microbiome, aids digestion, reduces visceral fat surrounding internal organs and may improve longevity.
Kennedy himself has spoken openly about his carnivore eating habits and previously stated he lost 20 pounds in 30 days consuming only meat and fermented foods.
Trump has also taken note of his running mate’s physical changes. During an Easter lunch in April, the president remarked on Vance’s appearance.
“He’s lost weight. He got a little thinner,” Trump said.
He continued with a characteristic flourish: “I’m looking for a heavy-set gentleman, and now I find a perfect-looking specimen.”
Vance opened the press conference by turning the weight question back on himself with self-deprecating humor.
“When you’re Vice President and the first question at a press conference is about how much weight you lost, you must’ve gotten very fat. That’s one thing I take from that question,” he said.