Staff absences at White House see president set the menu, and unsurprisingly he picked a Big Mac buffet

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

Any champion football player disappointed with Monday’s dinner at the White House can blame Democrats, according to a presidential spokesman.

Donald Trump's fast food banquet – feeding the people Whoppers, as ever | Hannah Jane Parkinson Read more

Clemson University’s football team on Thursday joined Donald Trump for dinner to celebrate their win over Alabama in the College Football Playoff National Championship. However, the government shutdown has left much of the White House staff furloughed, forcing the president to set the menu, the spokesman said.

The event created a golden culinary opportunity for a president whose typical evenings reportedly often involve a cheeseburger in front of the TV. On Monday’s menu was “McDonald’s, Wendy’s and Burger King’s with some pizza”, Trump told reporters.

NBC News (@NBCNews) White House says President Trump "is personally paying for” event with National Champions Clemson tonight "to be catered with some of everyone’s favorite fast foods,” because "much of the residence staff at the White House is furloughed” due to the ongoing government shutdown. pic.twitter.com/qeMc4iSKmG

Photos of the spread show an array of Quarter Pounders and Big Macs, alongside silver bowls filled with various sauces – all individually wrapped to minimize waste.

The president reasoned that the team would enjoy the fast food: “We have some very large people that like eating. So I think we’re going to have a little fun.”

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Whoppers at the White House. Photograph: Chris Kleponis/Pool/EPA

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Members of the Clemson Tigers football team grab their burgers. Photograph: UPI/Barcroft Images

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Big Macs proudly offered by the president. Photograph: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Queueing up for Trump’s ‘patriotic’ meal. Photograph: Chris Kleponis/Pool/EPA

Facebook Twitter Pinterest The State Dining Room resembled a fast-food restaurant as the players hastily selected their meals. Photograph: Susan Walsh/AP

The food was also patriotic, he pointed out. Asked whether he preferred McDonald’s or Wendy’s, he noted: “If it’s American, I like it. It’s all American stuff,” Trump said. He added: “No matter what we did, there’s nothing you can have that’s better than that, right?”

Hunter Walker (@hunterw) Here’s a video I shot of President Trump showing off his 300 hamburgers. pic.twitter.com/P06S6I5w07

Many on social media pointed out that top athletes might have reservations about eating 1,000 hamburgers, as Trump initially announced. In the end there were apparently a mere 300.