A majority of black players on a US university's American football team refused to attend a fast food buffet at the White House with several citing opposition to Donald Trump, it has been reported.

Less than a third of black members of the Clemson Tigers team accepted the president’s invitation after they became national champions, with a number saying their disapproval of the Republican’s policies and alleged racism was the reason, according to The Root.

Seventy-six students, or two-thirds of the team, travelled from South Carolina to Washington DC for the visit earlier this month, a statement from Clemson University said, while The Root reported that 15 black players were among them.

Those who did attend were understood to be younger players without much game time.

The players were served a spread of fast food including McDonald’s and Domino’s Pizza, paid for by Mr Trump, due to the government shutdown that had ground the US capital to a halt.

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Three who spoke to The Root said they were given a choice of whether to attend or not.

“They told us it was up to us. Folk just didn’t want to go,” said one. Another added: “Players were talking amongst each other but everybody was like: ‘I’m not going to that.’”

However, those students who spoke to The Root did not begrudge their teammates the decision to attend. A first-year player who stayed behind said: “This team is a family. You don’t always agree with your family on everything but still ... that’s my brother.”

Talking up the fast food banquet on 14 January Mr Trump said it was “great American food”. He added: ”If it’s American, I like it. It’s all American stuff. 300 hamburgers, many, many french fries – all of our favorite foods.”