While hosting Clemson University’s championship football team, President Donald Trump made an unusual choice in catering: McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King and Domino’s.
Some players whooped as they saw the mounds of fast food burgers, fries, salads and pizza piled high on silver platters at the State Floor in the White House. Trump says he served 1,000 hamburgers in total, all on his own dime.
“I like it all. I like it all. It’s all good stuff, great American food. And it’s going to be very interesting to see at the end of this evening how many are left,” Trump said.
The president blamed the government shutdown for the unconventional dinner. An estimated 800,000 federal employees are furloughed until Congress can agree on a spending bill, including White House staff members.
Trump, a known fast-food enthusiast, said he had to decide between waiting to host the team, offering no food, or serving them “little quick salads” made by the first and second ladies. Instead, he said he decided to order fast food from “all American companies.”
“No matter what we did, there’s nothing you can have that’s better than that,” he said.
In a statement, Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders blamed the Democrats for the government shutdown.
"The President wanted to host a fun event to celebrate the College Football National Champion Clemson Tigers. Because the Democrats refuse to negotiate on border security, much of the residence staff at the White House is furloughed – so the President is personally paying for the event to be catered with some of everyone’s favorite fast foods,” she said.
Clemson took down Alabama 44-16 earlier this month to win the NCAA national championship.
WLTX and The Associated Press contributed to this report.