Don't Believe That Viral TikTok Theory About Monster Energy And 9/11
The September 11 attacks in 2001 were a monumental moment in American history, an event that shook Americans to their core and lead to a widespread response teetering on both compassion and panic. While American citizens generously raced to help their fellow countrymen in their time of need, a flurry of wild speculation, conspiracies, and baseless myths began to spread among the populace. One particularly outrageous rumor claims that Osama Bin Laden was spotted, in all places, at a McDonald's location in Utah (via The Guardian). While it's understandable why some would get caught up in a frenzy of gossip, much information turned out to be rumors and misconstrued statements.
Not even food was safe from speculation and panic. Some believed that Bin Laden owned the iced tea-brand Snapple (although this turned out to be partly be true, the Tampa Bay Times explains, as 12 members of the Saudi BinLaden family owned a company Snapple sold its products through at the time). In our nation's capital, the House of Representatives cafeteria no longer served French toast or French fries, but instead began serving "Freedom toast" and "Freedom fries" as part of a protest against France's relationship with Iraq (via CNN). In a time where the relative peace and tranquility of America had been shattered, nothing would be left unquestioned, no stone left unturned.
Monster Energy drinks even became the target of a strange and outlandish claim, connecting its invention to the national outcry of the 9/11 attacks.
Was Monster Energy really meant for American patriots?
According to a TikTok posted by user @d3milovato, there is a running theory that Monster Energy was created as a "response to the 9/11 attacks as a way to give American patriots the energy they need to fight Al-Qaeda." A Twitter user also backed up this theory, jokingly claiming that the drink was meant to give Americans energy to continue the war on Iraq. This claim of patriotic support apparently comes from Forbes' page on Rodney Sachs, according to both the TikTok video and the tweet. Although when one looks through the page or even does a cursory Google search, you'll see no indication that such a claim even exists, adding to the theory that this was a prank made by an unknown person or group.
Despite the myth being an obvious falsehood, Monster Energy does have a very close relationship with members of the United States military. Monster Energy has its own charity program meant for assisting members of the U.S. Armed Forces, even winning the "Legacy of Hope" in recognition of its charity work with the USO.
The military also seems to enjoy its fair share of Monster Energy drinks as well, viewing it as a healthier alternative to drinks such as Red Bull and Coca-Cola (via BevNet). Military exchanges, or stores where personnel can purchase goods, sold an impressive 3.3 million Monster-brand energy drinks in 2014 alone, serving as a testament to how popular the drink is with soldiers.