In a very nontraditional way, President Donald Trump treated the Clemson University football team to fast food on Monday night as they visited the White House to celebrate their national championship victory.
With the White House kitchen staff furloughed due to the federal government shutdown, the president, 72, served the South Carolina team a spread of hamburgers, french fries and pizza from McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King, and Domino’s.
The feast was laid out on silver platters across a candelabra-lit table in the State Dining Room and was paid for by Trump personally.
“Because of the shutdown, you know we have the great Clemson team with us, the national champions,” CNN reported Trump saying. “So we went out and we ordered American fast food, paid for by me. Lots of hamburgers, lots of pizza.… We have some very large people that like eating. So I think we’re going to have a little fun.”
Deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley also told CNN in a statement: “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.”
The Clemson University Tigers triumphed in the championship, 44 to 16, over the University of Alabama’s Crimson Tide on Jan. 7.
By: Maytinee Kramer