In a notable on-air reversal, Fox News host Laura Ingraham conceded that former First Lady Michelle Obama had been correct about the issue of "food deserts" after examining the financial realities of new federal dietary guidelines.
A New Food Pyramid and an Old Debate
The moment unfolded on Wednesday's episode of "The Ingraham Angle." The host was discussing the newly unveiled food pyramid with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. The updated nutritional guide, part of the "Make America Healthy Again" initiative under President Donald Trump, inverts the traditional pyramid to prioritize protein sources like red meat, fish, and poultry, alongside fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats over whole grains.
Ingraham initially championed the change, calling it "a major MAHA win." However, the conversation quickly turned to the central hurdle of cost and accessibility for working-class families.
The Affordability Challenge and a Sudden Realization
When Ingraham suggested simply encouraging children to eat healthily, Secretary Rollins pointed out the common pushback regarding expense. Rollins argued that a healthy meal of protein, vegetables, whole grain bread, and milk could cost "right around $3 to $4," less than a fast-food meal. But she immediately noted the critical barrier: "those underserved communities that don't have access to Whole Foods or H-E-B."
It was at this point that Ingraham interrupted, stating, "Michelle Obama used to call them 'food deserts.'" The former First Lady had made combating childhood obesity and improving access to affordable, nutritious food a cornerstone of her "Let's Move!" campaign during the Obama administration.
Ingraham, who had openly criticized and mocked the initiative in the past, then made a surprising admission. "I used to kind of poke fun of her for that," she said. "Maybe is she right?" After Rollins agreed that part of Obama's assessment was correct, Ingraham followed suit. "OK, so we take it all back," the conservative host said. "She's right."
Highlighting a Long-Standing Political Hypocrisy
The moment underscored a long-observed contradiction in conservative media. Critics on social media were quick to point out the hypocrisy of championing Kennedy's health push while having openly condemned Michelle Obama's virtually identical concerns. The backlash against Obama's campaign was so intense that CNN last year released a montage of Fox News hosts, including Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity, decrying her efforts, with Hannity famously telling her to get her "damn hands" off his French fries.
Ingraham herself had criticized Obama in 2011, sarcastically noting that one of the First Lady's daughters was "apparently is not living in a food desert." The Wednesday broadcast revealed how practical discussions of cost and access can bridge deep political divides, forcing a rare public concession on a culturally charged issue.
