Imagine being an athlete that worked very hard all season long and defeated a top contender that's known for being undefeated. Hooray! You won against that undefeated team and you, your teammates, and your family get to go to the White House and have a celebratory dinner. The twist is that the dinner you're going to be served is composed of fast food from various chains.
That's what happened on January 14th, 2019, when the Clemson Tigers visited the White House after their 44-16 win against the Alabama Crimson Tide. The players were met with a buffet of fast food from Wendy's, McDonald's, pizza, and much more. This buffet came out of Trump's own pocket due to the partial government shutdown and with him being fast food lover himself.
"I think we are going to serve McDonald's, Wendy's and Burger King with some pizza. I really mean it," he said. "It will be interesting. I would think that's their favorite food. So we'll see what happens."
According to a pool report written by Josh Dawsey, the players "whooped as they saw the food spread" with Trump saying that this was "great American food."
The reaction to this fast food dinner had, of course, received backlash. People called the celebratory meal "classless" and also said that the players "deserved better." Really? The Clemson players have to meet with "culinary coaches" in order for them to eat in healthy matter. In addition to that, they also had their diets monitored, giving them individual cooking demos, selecting the right type of "fuel."
Imagine going through all of that dietary restriction for months and getting to finally eat food that you have been dying for, it would be a dream come true, especially to lineman Matt Bockhorst! To the naysayers who shamed President Trump for serving fast food to players, let's take a look back in history.
It's the turn of the decade, 1939 to be exact. King Goerge VI visited then President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, on American soil. The four-day visit consisted of a sight-seeing tour of Washington, a formal State Dinner and a big bash at the British Embassy. The visit also had a casual yet memorable moment in history: the British Monarch ate his first hot dog.
Along with Queen Elizabeth (the mother), the casual picnic was held at Roosevelt's Hyde Park's cottage on June 11, 1939. The menu also consisted of Virginia ham, smoked turkey, cranberry jelly, green salad, rolls, strawberry shortcake, coffee, beer, and soft drinks. The headline from the New York Times read "KING TRIES HOT DOG AND ASKS FOR MORE" the following day and according to reporter Felix Belair Jr., the British monarch enjoyed his share of two hot dogs with beer. The royal guests even ate off of paper plates like everyone else in attendance.
What President Trump did on that fateful evening was anything but different than what President Roosevelt did. They both displayed an aspect of American living that was relatable to the working class. An average American will often treat themselves to some fast food if they've had a busy day at work and don't feel like cooking.
To the people who turned your noses at this story, shame on you. There are people who enjoy the simpler things in life and don't need anything larger than life in order to be satisfied. If I were in that room that night, I would be very thankful because who can turn down free food, especially if it's food that you crave from time to time?
In my honest opinion, President Trump delivered when it came to feeding those football players. Not only will Clemson bring home the title of being National Champions, but also bellies filled with Big Macs, french fries, pizza, and all the food their hearts desired!
